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University of Ghana launches UGA Network App to reconnect global alumni community
The University of Ghana has launched the UGA Network App, a new digital platform designed to reconnect its graduates and strengthen institutional ties with one of Africa’s largest alumni communities.
Speaking at the launch on May 28, 2026 at the West African Genetics Centre Auditorium on the University campus, Vice Chancellor Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo said the app addresses a long-standing gap in alumni engagement.
“For too long, the connection between our graduates and their alma mater has depended on chance,” she said.
Adding that “Not because the bond weakened, but because there was no official, trusted and simple mechanism to keep it alive.”
Prof. Amfo noted that since the university’s founding in 1948, it has shaped “life’s most meaningful moments” for many, from friendships and marriages to business ideas and careers.
She described the university as “a shared home, one that inspired pride, purpose, and a deep sense of belonging that does not diminish with distance or the passage of time.”
“The UGA Network App allows alumni to register, verify their status, and complete profiles within minutes. Users can search for fellow “Legonites” by year of graduation, college, or location, register for university events and reunions, participate in mentorship programs, and support university initiatives,” she added.
The Vice Chancellor said alumni are central to the university’s strategic priorities, including transformative student experience, impactful research, and resource mobilisation.
“Our alumni are our most powerful ambassadors. They validate, in the real world, the education this University provides,” she added.
Prof. Amfo called the app “a living platform” that will be refined based on user feedback.
She urged alumni to “scan the QR code, register on the platform, connect with one another, reconnect with the University, and become active participants in this renewed alumni movement.”
Director of the Institutional Advancement Directorate, Prof. Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah, said the launch marks a shift from fragmented, ad hoc alumni efforts by individual colleges and departments.
“With the launch of the UG Alumni Network App, we are laying the foundation for a more connected, more coordinated, more responsive, and more vibrant alumni ecosystem,” he said.
Prof. Abekah-Nkrumah noted that the platform was built in-house by the university’s Information Technology Directorate instead of procuring an off-the-shelf solution, “a path that reflects both prudence and confidence in our own institutional capacity.”
University leadership also acknowledged support from alumni associations in Ghana, North America, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and the Francophone community, as well as from GRASAG and the SRC. Appreciation was extended to Mr. Philip Haywood Dadzie, Chief Executive Officer of Nest Realty, for supporting the launch.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Development Company and Professor of Marketing at the University of Ghana Business School said the app is “very appropriate.
“In the 21st century you know where to find each other, that’s online. If we can get our community very well together and be able to get in touch with them, I think it is very appropriate for us to have this particular software,” he concluded.
The UGA Network App is the official alumni engagement platform of the University of Ghana, managed by the Institutional Advancement Directorate, in collaboration with the Information Technology Directorate.
Built on a verified and secure alumni database, the platform protects personal information while ensuring credibility and trust for users.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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
