News
Stanbic Bank Ghana holds ‘Financial Wellness Workshop’ for journalists
Stanbic Bank Ghana has held a ‘Financial Wellness Workshop’ for journalists in the Ashanti Region, underscoring its commitment to strengthening financial literacy and long‑term independence within the media fraternity.
The initiative, organised in partnership with the Science and Technology Communicators of Ghana (SaTCOG), brought together practitioners from print, radio, television, and online platforms.
SaTCOG, which champions science communication among journalists in Ghana and beyond, requested the training to help members build resilience in both their personal finances and professional practice.
The sessions covered personal financial management, savings and investment planning, retirement preparation, debt and asset management, and the effective use of digital banking tools.
Derick Romeo Adogla, Head of Communication and Reputation Management at Stanbic Bank, said the programme was designed to equip journalists with practical strategies for financial stability.
“We brought some of our top financial experts to take participants through financial wellness, to ensure our colleagues in the media can better manage their finances,” he explained.
He added that the workshop forms part of Stanbic Bank’s broader drive to promote financial literacy across sectors, with similar programmes already extended to small businesses, students, and professional groups.
As a gesture of support, the bank donated five laptops to selected journalists, aimed at enhancing newsroom efficiency through research, story filing, and digital content creation.
Facilitators, Nabil Abubakar Hussayn, Head of Employee Value Banking, and James Otchere led the sessions.
Mr Hussayn urged participants to align lifestyle choices with budgets and future goals.
“Live a life you can afford and make lifestyle choices in line with your budget and aspirations,” he advised, stressing that a carefully planned budget and investment in good assets such as land are the first steps toward financial freedom.
The leadership of SaTCOG commended Stanbic Bank for the initiative, describing it as timely and relevant to the personal and professional development of journalists.
By deepening its partnership with the media, Stanbic Bank hopes to foster capacity building and long‑term impact, ensuring that journalists were not only storytellers of Ghana’s development but also financially empowered professionals.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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
