The Ghana Publishing Company Limited (GPCL) has launched an e-gazette platform aimed at making gazette services faster, more accessible and efficient for citizens both home and abroad.
The user-friendly platform allows individuals and institutions to apply for, track and receive gazette publications entirely online, eliminating the need for applicants to travel to the company’s offices in Accra or Kumasi.
The initiative forms part of the company’s broader digital transformation agenda to modernise public service delivery.
Transformation drive
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the Managing Director of GPCL, Nana Kwasi Boatey, said until the reforms, gazette applications could take as long as eight weeks or three months to process.
However, with the new system and a 24-hour operational structure, citizens could now receive their gazettes in a day, depending on the category selected.
Mr Boatey said after engaging the public during an outreach campaign, it became clear that there was a strong demand for remote access to gazette services, especially from citizens living outside Accra, including those abroad.
He said the new system would also enable applicants to process their gazettes without relying on middlemen.
“Now you can sit in the comfort of your home, take out your mobile phone, and apply for a gazette directly on our site.This is what a proper 24-hour economy looks like, you can apply at midnight and still get served,” Mr Boatey said.
He said that although an e-gazette platform had been announced before his administration took office, there was no functional trace of it, prompting GPCL to rebuild the system entirely from scratch.
On system security, Mr Boatey assured that robust cybersecurity measures had been integrated into the platform, with continuous monitoring to safeguard user data.
“Cybersecurity is a continuous process. You can’t put in all the features today and go to sleep.
You need to keep checking your firewalls and updating your systems.
That’s why we’re working closely with our partners to ensure the system remains safe and secure.
“We will continue to work towards building a Ghana Publishing Company that is dependable and modern, one that truly serves the needs of all Ghanaians,” he said.
Operational details
Explaining the operational details, the Corporate Affairs Manager of GPCL, Lantan Papanko, said users could choose the specific service they needed, create an account, upload required documents like affidavits and select their preferred processing speed.
He said the platform offered three processing options - 24-hour, 72-hour and 21-day applications.
The manager added that applicants could also monitor the progress of their applications in real time through a personal account secured with a one-time password (OTP) sent to their mobile phones.
Mr Papanko further said that while there would be less service charge for using the e-gazette system, the digital process saved applicants time and travel costs, while also reducing congestion at the company.
