Martin Kpebu is a private legal practitioner

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has brushed aside suggestions that the victory by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his defamation case against former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong provides enough basis for the conclusion that Ghana’s judicial system is fraught with bias and corruption.

According to him, the differing outcomes in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ defamation suits against Kennedy Ohene Agyapong are not indicative of an ailing Ghanaian judicial system.

In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, on March 19, 2025, Martin Kpebu insisted such assumptions would be absurd and far-fetched, as the two cases were not the same.

“As a lawyer, it is not something that I can easily say that based on the fact that Anas won a different case in the US and lost one in Ghana we can ipso facto say that the Ghanaian court doesn’t give justice…no, we can’t just give such a blanket statement because it was not the same case that was presented in the two courts,” he stated.

While affirming his stance, Martin Kpebu also recognized the right of citizens to thoroughly examine the judiciary and register their frustrations with its performance.

“…Being a citizen, I’m also aware that generally, citizens are saying that they don’t like what the courts are doing etc and that is reflected in Afrobarometer surveys.

“So, if you check the Afrobarometer report, on public perception of corruption on systems in Ghana, the judiciary ranked among other systems in the country that is not doing too well. The judiciary ranked 5th on the list with a percentage of 44% by most respondents and 47% by some respondents. So, you will see that the judiciary hasn’t been doing well and it is not the judiciary only. Ghana Police Service is also complicit in it and other institutions,” the legal expert added.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas filed separate defamation cases against Kennedy Agyapong in Ghana and the United States of America.

In the Ghana case, Justice Eric Baah in a decision dated March 15, 2023 dismissed Anas’ reliefs on grounds that Kennedy Agyapong’s “statement was substantially factual, and therefore, justified.”

He opined that the comments “could not have succeeded in actually defaming the plaintiff. Some of the long list of words made by defendant and tendered as exhibit C were capable of defamatory meanings, but none was proven to have actually defamed the plaintiff.”

On the other hand, the United States of America (USA) case was centered on defamatory statements made by Kennedy Agyapong after the release of the BBC’s investigative documentary, ‘Betraying the Game’, on October 28, 2018.

Martin Kpebu further explained that the move by Anas Aremeyaw Anas to quash the earlier ruling in the Supreme Court received fair treatment to some extent, given that out of the five judges who sat on the case, two ruled in favour of him.

“Anas filed in the Supreme Court to quash it because the judge called Anas’ work journalistic terrorism or so, but when it went to the Supreme Court Anas didn’t fare poorly. Out of the five judges who sat on the case, three ruled against Anas and two judges in the person of Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu and Justice Yonny Kulendi ruled in his favour,” he said.

Background

A jury in the Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey on Tuesday found former Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong for Assin Central liable for defamation and awarded investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18 million in damages.

Reacting to the judgement, the investigative journalist said the court ruling is a powerful message to Ghanaian politicians that the media cannot be taken for granted.

VPO/EK

The Madina District Court has remanded in police custody, the 35-year-old businessman arrested in connection with the murder of investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein Divela Suale. 

Daniel Koranteng, aka Nana Amakye, has been provisionally charged with murder at the court where committal proceedings are expected to take place.

The prosecutors are accusing him of causing the death of the investigative journalist on January 16, 2019, by unlawful harm.  

Request for bail

Counsel for the accused, Kofi Essel, prayed the court to grant his client bail, saying the case lacked substantial proof to justify the charge. However, the court declined since it did not have jurisdiction to grant the accused hearing.

Before adjourning the matter to April 1, 2025, the court, presided over by Suzzy Nyakotey, asked the prosecution whether the sale of photographs alone could provide sufficient grounds to charge someone with murder.

The prosecutors said investigations were still ongoing. 

Prosecution’s facts

Per the facts of the case, the petitioner, Ibrahim Kamir Tahidu, is a relative of the deceased, Ahmed Hussein Suale, while the accused, Daniel Owusu Koranteng, is the managing director of ISPY Company.

The prosecution stated that both Ahmed Suale and the accused were employees of Tiger Eye company, led by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The accused, the prosecution also said, had multiple interactions with the deceased and his family before his death.

Per the charge sheet, tensions escalated in June 2018 when Kennedy Agyapong broadcasted images of Ahmed Suale on Net2 TV, calling for retribution against the investigative journalist.

It added that the deceased, Ahmed Suale, later identified the accused as the person who provided Mr Agyapong with his photographs.

“On January 16, 2019, following the publication of the deceased’s images, Ahmed Suale was shot and killed at Madina.

“Call records placed the accused at Madina near Suale’s residence before and at the time of the murder,” the prosecution said. 

Travel

It added that further analysis showed that later that same day, the accused travelled from Madina to his residence at Amasaman late in the evening at about 23:15 hours, after the murder.

“During the investigation, the accused declined multiple police invitations and later fled to the United Kingdom somewhere in August 2019.

“The accused later returned to Ghana and intelligence led to his arrest at Amasaman on March 15, 2025.

“He admitted knowing the deceased, visiting Kennedy Agyapong and having taken photographs with the deceased, but denied selling the photographs to anyone,” the prosecution told the court, adding that investigations are still ongoing. 

Ghana is at an important moment in its economic journey, on a reset borne out of a vibrant and visionary leadership, and a renewed hope.

The country is once again open to becoming the premier destination for both local and foreign investors in Africa.

With a focus on comprehensive economic recovery, infrastructure development, and regulatory reforms, the government is firmly committed to creating a friendly business environment that fosters growth, innovation and sustainable development.

Investors in the recent past struggled with a number of challenges stemming from worsening economic conditions that saw some of them fold up and leave the country.

Persistent currency depreciation, rising inflation, and high import costs significantly increased the cost of doing business.

Frequent power outages and high utility bills further strained operations, making the business environment less attractive. Some, overwhelmed by these challenges, moved their investments out of Ghana, resulting in job losses and a slowdown in the country’s economic growth.  

Recent studies also reveal that investors and the business community continue to grapple with several challenges: poorly coordinated regulations, overlapping mandates among state agencies, inefficient public services, macroeconomic instability, high tax rates, costly credit, infrastructure deficiencies and corruption, which negatively impact the investment climate.  

The recent State of the Nation Address by President John Dramani Mahama and his opening remarks at the National Economic Dialogue delivered a clear and compelling message of hope to both domestic and foreign investors. Ghana is Open for Business.

With a strategic vision to reset the economy, the government is laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth, underpinned by fiscal discipline, investment-friendly policies and a renewed commitment to infrastructure development. 

Renewed leadership you can trust

President Mahama has demonstrated a commitment to accepting responsibility and leading efforts to find lasting solutions to the challenges confronting the country.

He has pledged to confront the issues and reset the economy on a trajectory of growth and prosperity. 

In his first few months in office, the President has shown a strong commitment to rebuilding the economy by cutting down the size of government, managing public spending more efficiently and promoting transparency in debt management.

One of the defining features of Mahama’s leadership is his emphasis on consultative and consensus-driven governance.

The decision to convene the National Economic Dialogue to engage stakeholders in shaping the country’s economic policies highlights a leadership that values collaboration. 

This approach signals to investors that economic decisions will be informed by broad-based stakeholder input.

The renewed fight against corruption demonstrated in efforts to investigate and recover misapplied public funds, along with reforms in public procurement and state asset disposal, demonstrates a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.

This commitment to ethical governance indicates that Ghana’s business environment will be governed by fairness, integrity and the rule of law.

Resetting fundamentals

President Mahama’s administration is showing leadership in tackling the economic crisis by running a lean government, cutting wasteful spending and reducing the budget deficit.  

Ghana is addressing its unsustainable debt burden through prudent restructuring and repayment measures to restore investor confidence. Key steps include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) to restructure external debt, rebuilding Sinking Funds, lowering treasury bill rates, and enhancing debt repayment transparency.

Also, the Bank of Ghana plans to introduce a new foreign exchange law to strengthen the banking sector.  

Ghana’s financial sector reforms, including the implementation of the Debt Exchange Programme and the Informal Sector Pension Inclusion Initiative, are designed to promote financial stability and increase participation in savings schemes.

The establishment of the Women’s Development Bank will provide low-interest loans and tailored financial services to support women-led businesses.

The Adwumawura Programme will create, track and mentor businesses annually, with a special focus on youth entrepreneurship.

The government also plans to streamline taxes, widen the tax net, and reform tax waivers to boost revenue, promote business growth and support economic recovery.

Strategic policies

The 24-hour economy strategy proposed by President Mahama is a deliberate policy intervention aimed at encouraging businesses and companies in Ghana to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The initiative seeks to create sustainable jobs, boost productivity and enhance the competitiveness of local businesses.

It is anchored on the broader vision of transforming Ghana into an import-substitution and export-led economy, with a focus on modernising agriculture, promoting agro-processing and supporting the private sector.

The policy targets key industries such as agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, construction, digital startups, financial services, and select public institutions such as ports, customs and the passport office.

The 24-hour economy presents significant benefits for both local and foreign investors.

Participating businesses will enjoy tax incentives to lower operational costs, along with access to cheaper and more reliable electricity through a Time of Use (TOU) tariff system, which offers reduced rates during off-peak hours.

Also, the government will provide financing support to strategic agro-processing and manufacturing companies to boost production capacity for import substitution and exports.

The policy also prioritises security improvements and infrastructure development in commercial districts to create a safe and conducive environment for round-the-clock business operations.

The GIPC Act, 2012 (Act 865) will be amended to introduce strategic incentives designed to attract and support investors seeking to leverage opportunities under the 24-hour economy initiative.

Another important aspect of Ghana’s strategy of attracting foreign investments is the government’s Policy on Economic Diplomacy.

The government has outlined a new blueprint within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote economic diplomacy, with a primary focus on export diversification, foreign investment, and job creation.

As part of this, Passport application centres will be expanded nationwide to reduce processing times to seven days, in alignment with the vision of the 24-hour economy.

Ghana is taking bold steps to attract investments across key sectors by creating a more business-friendly environment and unlocking new opportunities. 

The US$10 billion ‘Big Push’ infrastructure programme is set to transform the country’s roads, railways, and energy systems.

Energy

In the energy sector, the government is introducing reforms such as the Renewable Energy and Green Transition Fund to promote solar power and electric vehicle infrastructure, while efforts to achieve 100 per cent gas utilisation for power generation create new opportunities for clean energy investors.

Within the petroleum and mining sectors, the government is engaging investors to revitalise upstream oil production, and is introducing the Gold Board to regulate small and medium-scale mining.

These policies, coupled with a renewed focus on public-private partnerships and regional trade under Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), are positioning Ghana as an attractive destination for long-term investment.

To be continued

The writer is the Centre Acting CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre

Ghana’s National Identification System, popularly known as the Ghana Card, a digital public infrastructure (DPI) established to serve as the cornerstone to create a robust national database capable of driving digitalization, yet to realize its full potential seven years on.

Since its inception, the system has achieved significant milestones, but some structural challenges have hindered its multifunctionality and optimum usage.

The Ghana Card, a biometric ID card, has become a widely accepted form of identification system integrating personal data, including biometric information, a unique identification number, and other critical details. It can function as a multipurpose card. However, full synchronization of the database with different platforms for its multipurpose functionality seems to be in limbo.

Citizens still carry multiple ID cards for various services that the Ghana card could have performed upon achieving multifunctionality. For instance, Nigeria’s General Multipurpose Card (GMPC), a single card for multiple purposes, is already delivering identity verification, financial transactions, and accessing government services.

The National Identification Authority (NIA) as of October 2024, has registered about 18 million out of the 34 million population of Ghanaians and foreign residents under the Ghana Card initiative. This has laid a strong foundation for a comprehensive national database.

However, the ID system has some lapses that need attention to achieve full integration for multipurpose usage.

Former Executive Director of Africa Centre for Digital Transformation (ACDT), a digitalization policy think tank, Kwesi Atuahene, expressed that the Ghana Card is designed to be a multipurpose card, serving as a single trusted identity for various transactions, including banking, voter registration, SIM card registration, and even as an e-passport. However, integration and some technical operational issues remain an impediment.

Mr. Atuahene further mentioned that the Ghana Card is not progressive in design, and poses a challenge to its integration for passport processing and other recurrent database systems. He argued that while the Ghana Card serves as a foundational digital identity tool, its effectiveness relies heavily on the timeliness and accuracy of the data it holds. However, the data captured during the initial issuance of the Ghana Card in 2018/2019 has not been updated for most people after six years.

Healthcare Sector

Whilst the ID system has been integrated into the healthcare delivery sector, successfully replacing the health insurance card to a large extent, the expert believes more aspects in the industry, such as replacing the same with the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) ID card, among others, persist.

The Ghana Card is also argued to be a good database to establish special healthcare services to the aged in society, especially the marginalised or the poor.

Integrating the Ghana Card fully with healthcare systems can simplify patient identification, improve access to medical records, and ensure efficient delivery of health services.

Banking and Digital Payment

The move to integrate the Ghana Card into the banking and financial transactions system began in 2022 to enhance financial inclusion, security and convenience. However, ACDT believes the process remains incomplete, preventing users from fully accessing its additional benefits.

ACDT’s Executive Vice President, Evelyn Kwarteng, highlighted that seamless integration of the Ghana card into banking operations would facilitate government efforts to synchronise the card with all major national databases, including healthcare, tax clearance, and social services provision.

She urged the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to intensify its collaboration with the National Identification Authority (NIA) to fully integrate the Ghana Card into banking operations so that it could become an ATM card used for withdrawals, transfers, and payments.

Madam Evelyn emphasised that in an era of globalization and e-commerce, the full integration of the ID system will foster international payment services providers such as Mastercard, PayPal and Visa to partner with the central bank to ensure the Ghana Card can be used for purchases and digital transactions on online shops like Alibaba and Apple store.

“The NIA, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and financial institutions, should ensure that all bank accounts are linked to the Ghana Card through a secure national database. This will allow customers to perform ATM withdrawals, transfers and payments using their Ghana Card,” she stated.

This would further eliminate the burden of carrying multiple ATM cards based on the number of one’s bank accounts and enhance individual credit score credibility for accessing financial services efficiently.

Linking the Ghana Card to the banking and non-banking financial sector fully such as bank accounts and mobile money platforms can streamline transactions, enhance financial inclusion, instant loan services, and reduce fraud. It will ultimately serve as a universal ID for ATM withdrawals, transfers, and payments, as proposed by ACDT.

Business Registration

In the wake of the need to expand the tax net to generate more revenue, a combined statement issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA), Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and Registrar General Department on April 1, 2021, announced the commencement of the plans to replace the GRA Tax Identification Number (TIN) with the National Identification Authority (NIA) Personal Identification Number (PIN), known as Ghana card PIN.

This was in line with the government’s policy on the issue of a unique identifier for all transactions where the identification of an individual is required. Further, it said after April 1 to December 31, all existing TINs will be replaced with the Ghana Card PINs. The statement adds that a Self-Service portal has also been made available on the GRA website for existing taxpayers who have registered and have been issued with a Ghana card to link their Ghana card PIN to the TIN.

Thus, after the transition, the Ghana card PIN would be the sole identification for tax assessment to have a unique identifier for all transactions.

Four years later, TINs are still issued and required for business registration, whether or not one owns a Ghana Card. The NIA has successfully integrated its system for business registration, but the practicality of the efficient replacement of TIN with the Ghana Card to validate tax flow is yet to be realized.

Research Assistant at Center for Data Processing and Geo-Spatial Analysis (CEDPA), Michael Sumaila NLASIA, highlighted that the goal of tax digitization is to collect the maximum amount of revenue with minimum cost to the state. The transition from TIN to Ghana card would provide data statistics and information about the economy, for example, determining which assessable persons are and are not taxable.

“In some jurisdictions, there exist, side by side, an individual tax identification number and national identification number. For example, in the United States of America, an individual TIN is only available for certain non-residents and residents who cannot get a Social Security Number (SSN), whereas a Social Security Number is available for citizens. Thus, when you have a social security number, you do not need to have a TIN to pay tax. But, in Ghana, after the transition, the Ghana card PIN will be available for both citizens and non-citizens for tax law administration,” he said.

However, Ghana could not fully realise this target, an indication of underutilization of the full potential of the Ghana Card in business registration and transactions.

Electronic Voting

Whilst the NIA has created a robust identification data for all Ghanaians aged 18 years and above, same as the age that qualifies an individual to vote in this country, the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana is yet to capitalize on this vital biometric data for the electoral purposes.

The EC has maintained ahead of Ghana’s 2024 general election that the Ghana card remains the sole document for voter registration, therefore, anyone who made it onto the register had the Ghana Card. Thus, with this biometric database tracing voters and verifying their vote cast electronically could be done seamlessly.

The EC and the NIA must deepen collaboration to enhance the ability to use the Ghana card biometric database as a source document to advance the country’s voting system. This will also curb the challenge of rejected ballot papers due to faulty thumbprints.

Transportation

Road accidents in the country have been on the increase over the past decade with some drivers engaging in ‘hit and run’ practices. By linking the Ghana Card to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), citizens can use it for biometric verification when applying for or renewing driver’s licenses.

This can also aid in easy identification and tracking of vehicles that knock down pedestrians and run away with the assistance of the numerous CCTV cameras deployed by the police across the cities.

System Challenges

The Executive Secretary of NIA Wisdom Kwaku Deku, in his remarks about the challenges associated with the Ghana Card issuance at birth, for instance, outlined that duplication of submitted data, weak and unstable network in some parts of the country resulting in delay or inability to verify data, and slow operating system of devices used to capture data, among others remain impediment to the full deployment of the Ghana Card at all levels.

These challenges, among other unmentioned system challenges, need attention for further investment for the Ghana Card to attain full operationalization.

The Ghana Card is inevitably evolving into a multi-purpose ID card with the various linkages that have been started, however, these processes need enhancement and fast-tracking for full realization.

Way Forward

Instituting measures to regularly update data on the Ghana Card to make it progressive is very crucial. Additionally, improving data capture and card access in remote areas would be of great advantage to the integration.

Integrating health records and social security information could make the card indispensable for accessing healthcare and welfare services such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme that was recently defiled with ghost names.

Also, it is important to extend the Ghana Card at birth and to children registration to all health facilities, especially those in the hinterlands and private facilities as well, to create a comprehensive national database, aiding in planning and resource allocation.

The Ghana Card serves as a crucial component of Ghana’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Thus, a network of digital systems and services that allow governments to deliver public services efficiently and securely to citizens, essentially acting as a foundational digital infrastructure for a country, enabling access to services like digital identity, payments, data sharing, and government records.

This report is produced as part of the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme, a collaboration between the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Co-Develop.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, met with the management and athletes of Bronx Boxing Gym, a renowned Ghanaian boxing institution, reinforcing the government’s commitment to uplifting boxing in Ghana.

Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Ashie Kotey, and management of Bronz Boxing Gym, officially introduced prominent boxers from the gym, including John “Expensive Boxer” Laryea (2X WBO African Featherweight Champion, ranked #15 globally), Sharif “OneTime” Quaye (WBO African Lightweight Champion, ranked #8 globally), and Selasie “Emperor” Gosh (WBO African Bantamweight Champion).

During the meeting, Bronx Boxing Gym’s CEO, Samuel Anim Addo, and Technical Director, Lawrence Carl Lokko, outlined plans to host international boxing events in Ghana. They appealed to the Minister to support these initiatives, encourage corporate sponsorship, and promote fan engagement similar to football support.

Adams assured the delegation of his dedication to their cause, emphasizing the importance of athlete welfare, psychological training, and continuous professional development between fights. He pledged to assist in mobilizing corporate partnerships and developing regional boxing gyms.

The meeting concluded positively, with mutual commitments to ongoing cooperation aimed at positioning Ghana as a prominent boxing hub globally.

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Court in New Jersey, United States of Ameri­ca (USA), has found Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and one other person liable in a defama­tion case, and awarded $18 million against him.

Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas, investigative journalist, and the plaintiff, filed a suit and joined Mr Agyapong, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Cen­tral in the Central Region, and Mr Frederick Asamoah, a social media commentator, as defendants.

These damages arose from statements Mr Agyapong made on television, following the airing of the BBC documentary on corrup­tion, “Betraying the Game,” on October 28, 2018.

Mr Anas, sued the former lawmaker at the High Court, Accra, presided over by Justice Eric Baah, but the case was dismissed by the court, and a cost of GH¢50,000 awarded against Anas.

Anas appealed the decision at the Supreme Court on grounds of bias and lack of jurisdiction of the trial High Court, but lost by 3-2 majority decision.

The Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkonoo, Justice Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu and Asiedu upheld the ruling of the High Court, whilst Justices Em­manuel Yoni Kulendi and Yussif Amadu Tanko dissented.

Displeased by the outcome at the apex court, Anas initiated proceedings in the USA.

However, the trial in the USA, involved eight jurors, returned a unanimous verdict in favour of the plaintiff.

The court said it was of the considered view that plaintiff had been traumatised by the actions complained of in the complaint and had suffered severe emotional distress; because he had to field mortifying questions from former clients, agents, business associates, and family members, who reside all over the world including the City of West Orange in the State of New Jersey.

Mr Anas had told the court that the words complained of were utterly false, products of the first defendant’s imagination and were mischievously calculated by Mr Ag­yapong to disparage the plaintiff.

The plaintiff further indicated that the words created disaffec­tion for him and brought him into odium in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society in West Orange, Newark, and other parts of the State of New Jersey and the global community.

Mr Anas asked the court to award presumed damages in the amount of $5 million; special dam­ages in the amount of $10 million; actual damages in the amount of $5 million; and punitive damages in the amount of $10 million.

The plaintiff also asked the court for an order restraining Mr Agyapong from further making the utterances complained of; and or­dering Mr Asamoah to permanently delete all defamatory statements he has published about the Anas on the worldwide web.

In a statement issued after the court’s verdict, Mr Anas noted that he felt vindicated by the outcome of the case.

He said: “I stand before you today with a profound sense of vindication and determination. Yesterday, in the Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey, an eight-member jury delivered a unanimous verdict finding Kennedy Agyapong—former member of the Ghanaian Parliament—liable for defamation and awarding damages of $18 million.”

Mr Agyapong acted both mali­ciously and recklessly in his attacks against me,” Mr Anas added.

Regrettably, Anas said the situa­tion in Ghana was starkly different.

Moreover, he recounted that in 2018, when he pursued a similar lawsuit there, justice eluded him.

He mentioned that despite Mr Agyapong’s own admission of lacking evidence to support his calumnious claims, “Justice Eric Baah of the Accra High Court not only denied me justice, but unjustly portrayed me—the civil plaintiff—as a criminal.”

BY MALIK SULLEMANA

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the business continuity preparedness of many institutions. It turned business disaster management planning on its head, as it forced companies around the world to rethink their operations and, in many cases, embrace totally new models for work.

According to Tim Minahan, executive vice-president of business strategy at Citrix, “While many had begun moving toward remote work as part of their business continuity plans, few were prepared to do so at the speed and scale the pandemic required.”

The era of COVID-19 in Ghana was also the most vital for social security institutions as they were the only institutions to keep body and soul together at a time when productivity was at its lowest worldwide.

The post-covid era has taught us to prepare for a new normal business continuity and resilience in Ghana, which involves ensuring that social security systems remain operational and effective, even in the face of disruptions such as economic crises, natural disasters or pandemics. 

This is crucial for safeguarding the welfare of citizens, particularly the vulnerable populations who rely on social security benefits for their livelihoods.

Five years down the line, there are still some weaknesses in business plans which will make social security institutions vulnerable to another disaster.

There are still some key strategies that need to be put in place to enhance social security business continuity and resilience in Ghana.

First of all, there is the need for the creation of Business Continuity Plans (BCP) for every social security institution that will help in strengthening the institution’s disaster management frameworks.

This must begin with a robust governance structure that establishes clear policies and governance structures to ensure accountability and transparency in social security administration, and assign duties and responsibilities to departments and individuals in the event of crises.

There must also be proper legal and regulatory reforms that help to update and enforce laws and regulations that support the sustainability and adaptability of social security systems.

These reforms must hinge on transformations that encourage institutions to invest in digital technology to modernise social security administration, including digital payment systems and data management platforms.

Social security institutions must also exhibit evidence of financial sustainability.

This means that they should be able to show diversified funding sources.

There should be a reduction of reliance on a single funding source by exploring options such as public-private partnerships, donor funding, and innovative financing mechanisms.

This means, therefore, the minimum capital requirement for embarking on social security administration.

Institutions must build and maintain a buffer of reservation or contingency funds to cushion against economic shocks or unexpected demands on the system.

Institutions should also regularly conduct actuarial valuations to assess the long-term financial health of social security schemes that use both defined contributions or defined benefit mechanisms and adjust contributions or benefits as needed.

These studies will help them to employ data-driven approaches to identify trends, predict risks, and optimise resource allocation.

Programmes

Social security institutions should also develop tailored programmes to extend coverage to informal sector workers, who make up a significant portion of Ghana’s workforce and also ensure that social security programmes address the specific needs of women, who are often disproportionately affected by economic and social vulnerabilities.

They should also explore social insurance schemes that can provide additional protection for informal sector workers and other vulnerable groups.

These measures could ensure inclusivity and coverage expansion.

The Business Continuity Plan of social security institutions should provide for training programmes that aim to equip administrators with the skills needed to manage complex systems and respond to emergencies.

They must also launch public education and awareness campaigns to educate citizens about their rights and entitlements under social security schemes.

They should also provide for collaboration with civil society organisations, trade unions, and community leaders to build trust and ensure inclusiveness.

The use of mobile technology and online platforms to streamline registration, contribution collection, and benefit distribution can also help in sustaining business continuity and financial resilience in times of crisis.

Institutions

Ghanaian social security institutions must share knowledge and learn from best practices in other countries, particularly those with successful social security systems in Africa and beyond.

These include collaboration with international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Bank, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and International Organization of Pension Supervisors (IOPS) to access technical and financial support.

They should also align social security policies with cross-border and regional frameworks, such as those of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

To achieve social security business continuity and resilience in Ghana, a multi-faceted approach is required.

This includes strengthening institutional frameworks, ensuring financial sustainability, leveraging technology and fostering inclusivity.

By addressing these areas, Ghana can build a social security system that is not only resilient to shocks but also equitable and sustainable in the long term.

Collaboration between government, private sector, and international partners will be key to achieving these goals.

The writer is the Managing Director, Independent Pensions Advisory
 Service Ltd 
(IPAS) Ghana

Former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison

Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, is reported to have led a raid on the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, with 20 armed men on March 19, 2025.

According to a news report by AsaaseOnline.com, the raid took place on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at Dr. Addison’s Roman Ridge residence in Accra.

Reports indicate that Dr. Addison was at home when the heavily armed men, some wearing balaclavas and wielding AK-47 semi-automatic rifles, arrived to conduct a search.

The report further stated that the team repeatedly disabled all CCTV cameras in the house.

They then demanded that Dr. Addison lead them to the ‘vaults’ in his house. Our source says the former Governor, in shock, calmly told them that he had no vaults or any such cache of cash at home,” AsaaseOnline.com reported

Meanwhile, the Minority Leader of Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin is reported to have visited the former BoG governor in his residence after the raid.

I visited the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Ernest Addison, whose house was raided by National Security operatives led by Richard Jakpa. pic.twitter.com/zoELLpOqDI

— Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin (@AfenyoMarkin) March 19, 2025

AM/KA

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A member of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, is urging the government to allocate sufficient funds to combat the use of opioid drugs among the youth in the country.

He argues that this issue is taking a significant toll on the mental health of young people and must be addressed urgently.

Speaking during a debate on the 2025 budget in Parliament, on Wednesday, March 19, the Abuakwa South legislator stressed that the government’s plans to combat opioid drug use were not reflected in the budget therefore immediate action must be taken to remedy the situation.

“Mr. Speaker, the new opioid substance is what we call red. Mr. Speaker, what do you know red? It is the new opioid substance that is being abused. However, this mental health issue that was boldly stated in the manifesto of the NDC did not find expression in the national budget.

“We are all at risk. You intend to create a lot of jobs for the youth. The very youth that you intend giving opportunities to are abusing substances that there is a need for a national budget to address”.

…..

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