Register Clean-up, 2,584 More To Go Early January 2023

The Office of the Registrar of Companies(ORC) has indicated that it will publish the list of 2,584 dormant and defaulted Companies as part of the processes to get these Companies off its Register.

According to the ORC, this is part of the second phase of the clean-up exercise which begun in earnest, at the beginning of the year and saw over 2,700 dormant and defaulted Companies been struck off from the Companies Register in accordance with the Companies Act 2019(Act 992) for failure to file their Annual Returns and Amendments with the Office.

In an interview, the Public Relations Officer for ORC, Mr. Nicholas Ofori, said the Office is responsible for maintaining and reporting on accurate and reliable data on registered businesses in the country and therefore is undertaken this exercise to clean up the Companies Register of all dormant and defaulting Companies.

"All Company entities namely; Private/Public Companies Limited by Shares, Private/Public Companies Limited by Guarantee (Schools, Associations, Churches, Foundations, Unions, Civil Society Organizations, Fun Clubs, NGO’s, etc.) are to file their Annual Returns together with their Financial Statement with the ORC at a cost of GHc50.00 or in default pay a penalty of GH500.00 in addition to fees own in arrears. I am therefore urging all Company officials to file their Annual Returns before 31st December, 2022 to avoid being struck off from the Companies Register".

He said a Company earmarked to be struck off would be made inactive in the eRegister application and therefore cannot be electronically searched on. He furthered that a Company once struck off would require a Court Order to the Registrar of Companies for reinstatement after it has shown cause to the Court for non-compliance on its obligation.

"The effects of being stricken off the Companies Register is great and therefore all Company official must file their Annual Returns and comply with all directives of the Registrar of Companies as required by the Companies Act 992".

He continued that External Companies are required to submit their “Group Account’ with the Office of the Registrar of Companies at a cost of US$690.00 or in default pay US$750.00 in addition to fees owe in arrears.

"Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships should renew their Businesses at a cost of GHc30.00 and GHc60.00 respectively. However, Partnership in default would pay a penalty of GHc500.00 in addition to fees owe in arrears".

Mr. Ofori indicated that Sole Proprietorship Businesses can now pay for their Business renewal with their mobile money wallet by simply dialing *222# and following the prompt to make payment using the Ghana.Gov payment platform.

He advice the public to vigilant against fraudsters who uses the name of the Office to defraud clients by directing them to send Mobile Money (Momo) to a certain number to renew their businesses for them. He indicated that the ORC has not authorize any person or agent to transact business on its behalf and therefore should report such calls to the Office.

Clients should call our official line on 0302-664-691/2 |0302-666180 |055-765-3130 for further enquiries.