The Ghana Publishing Company Limited (GPCL) has introduced a gazette verification platform and an e-bookshop to tackle the circulation of fake gazettes and the unauthorised printing and sale of copies of the Acts of Ghana.
The initiative is intended to improve access to authentic official publications while enabling the public to verify the authenticity of gazette documents before using them for official purposes.
Speaking at a press conference, the company’s Managing Director, Nana Kwasi Boatey, warned against the unauthorised reproduction and sale of Ghana’s laws, stressing that the company is the only institution legally mandated to print and sell copies of the Acts of Ghana.
“It is a criminal offence to publish and print copies of the Acts of Ghana and sell them. The only institution that has the legal mandate to do that is the Ghana Publishing Company. And yet, we’ve seen places where people have printed copies of the Acts of Ghana and are selling them. This is a very serious offence, and if we get you, we’ll hand you over to the police,” he said.
Mr Boatey also disclosed that the company had introduced security features to curb the circulation of fake gazettes, adding that several arrests had been made and some prosecutions were ongoing.
“There was a similar situation with gazettes. People used to fake gazettes a lot. Now we have curbed it significantly because we have introduced a number of security features. There have been a number of arrests. Some prosecutions are ongoing,” he added.
E-Bookshop to Improve Access to Official Publications
According to Mr Boatey, the newly introduced platforms are expected to make the company’s publications more accessible while helping users establish the authenticity of gazette documents.
He explained that the e-bookshop would allow customers to order physical copies of official publications through the company’s website and have them delivered to their preferred locations.
“What it does is, if you want a copy of the Acts of Ghana and we are not talking about soft copies, we are talking about hard copies you should be able to go to our website, buy one, and pay for it. That sale will reach us here. We will then package your Acts or Constitution or any of those inventories that we sell and courier it to you wherever you are. All of this is to ensure that the services we provide are readily available to Ghanaians and that the experience is better,” he said.
The Ghana Publishing Company is urging the public to obtain official publications through authorised channels and use the gazette verification platform whenever the authenticity of a document is in doubt.
The initiative forms part of efforts to protect the integrity of Ghana’s official publications, improve public access to legal materials and discourage the circulation of fraudulent documents.
By:Rachael Djabakie