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Photo exhibition to mark World Water Day
Water is life, yet millions across Ghana, especially in the Northern Region, continue to face severe water shortages that threaten livelihoods, agriculture, and public health.
As the world observes World Water Day 2025, a resounding call for urgent action has been made – not just to raise awareness but to push for bold policies, committed action, and the use of powerful visual storytelling to drive real change.
At the World Water Day Photography Exhibition, organised by Foto4Change, leading experts, policymakers, and visual storytellers convened to emphasise the critical need for water preservation and climate resilience.
Through striking photography and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, the exhibition highlighted the daily struggles of communities grappling with water scarcity and the pressing need for immediate intervention.
In his opening remarks, Geoffrey Buta, Team Lead at Foto4Change, underscored the power of visual storytelling in amplifying the voices of affected communities and ensuring their struggles are seen and heard.
“Tamale has been facing water crises for almost a decade. As a visual journalist, I see it as my duty to document these issues, bring them to light, and hold those in power accountable,” Mr Buta stated.
He further urged organisations and policymakers to collaborate in tackling water challenges, emphasizing that real-life stories have the potential to inspire both public and political action.
“At Foto4Change, we have documented the struggles of mothers walking miles for water, children missing school due to unsafe drinking water, and farmers losing their crops to droughts. These stories have directly contributed to policy shifts and increased funding for water projects,” he noted.
Mad. Fauzia Aliu, Advocacy Campaigns and Inclusion Manager at WaterAid Ghana, said access to clean water is not a privilege but a fundamental human right.
Despite this, millions of Ghanaians still lack this essential resource, highlighting the urgent need for action.
Mr Sammy Adjei, Senior Project Officer – WASH/ Agric at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), shared insights on community-led water governance, which has proven successful in many regions where CRS operates.
Mr Yakubu Alhassan Kassim, WASH Officer at UNICEF’s Tamale field office, described the exhibition as a powerful advocacy tool that highlights the urgent need for water preservation and sustainable water management.
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the commencement of enforcement of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), warning institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements of possible fines of up to 2,000 penalty units.
The Authority says it will deploy a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect institutions and ensure they comply with the regulations, following the expiration of a three-month grace period granted to businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Corporate Affairs representative, William Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the Authority had completed its public education and stakeholder engagement activities and was now moving into the enforcement and compliance monitoring phase.
He explained that the regulations require institutions that verify the identities of customers or applicants as part of their operations to use the NIA’s approved biometric verification platform instead of relying solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card.
Under the new rules, institutions are prohibited from photocopying, scanning or keeping copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification purposes.
Mr Darlas stressed that simply collecting a customer’s Ghana Card, looking at the photograph and comparing it with the person presenting it would no longer be accepted as a valid method of identity verification.
He, however, clarified that the Ghana Card remains the country’s official national identity document and that citizens are not required to register for a new card or capture their biometrics again under the new regulations.
He said the new system is intended to reduce identity fraud, impersonation and other crimes by ensuring that the person presenting the Ghana Card is the actual owner.
According to him, the biometric verification process will rely on information already captured during Ghana Card registration, including fingerprints, iris details and facial features stored in the card’s chip.
Mr Darlas warned institutions against using third-party companies or individuals to access the NIA’s identity verification platform, insisting that the Authority does not work with intermediaries.
He said institutions seeking access to the National Identity Register must deal directly with the NIA and complete its official onboarding process.
The process requires institutions to prove that they are legally registered companies in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission and work with the NIA’s technical team to establish the necessary connection to its platform.
He further cautioned institutions already connected to the platform against subletting their access to other businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He disclosed that the Authority had received reports of some institutions providing their verification services to other businesses without the NIA’s approval and warned that those involved would face legal action.
Mr Darlas said organisations that fail to comply with L.I. 2523 could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the nature of the offence.
He explained that the NIA does not have the authority to impose the fines directly but would take offenders to court for the appropriate punishment.
He indicated that Institutions found guilty could also face additional administrative measures, including being barred from accessing the NIA’s verification platform in the future.
The NIA representative further clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit all institutions from physically using the Ghana Card during transactions.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited, Nana Kwesi Boatey, has revealed how he transformed a major overstaffing challenge into a success story through the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 2, Mr. Boatey disclosed that when he assumed office in February 2025, and inherited a bloated workforce of 250 employees doing work that could be efficiently handled by 150 people, a situation that created serious liquidity challenges for the state-owned company.
Instead of resorting to downsizing, he adopted an innovative approach by instituting a 24-hour operational system.
Under the new system, staff were redistributed across three shifts: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
This not only ensured optimal use of labour but also maximized machine utilization and improved overall output.
According to him, the single move redefined the productivity culture within the company, reinforcing discipline, accountability, and efficiency.
The Ghana Publishing Company’s turnaround is being cited as a practical example of how the 24-Hour Economy policy can drive growth without job losses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
