She takes over from Jemima M. Oware, who served as Registrar from March 2022 to February 2025.

During the handover, Mrs. Oware expressed gratitude to the management and staff of the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) for their support throughout her tenure.

She highlighted the institution’s achievements under her leadership and encouraged the team to extend the same cooperation to her successor.

“I urge management to offer the needed support to the new Registrar so she can build on the gains we have made together,” she stated.

She also assured Maame Samma Peprah of her willingness to provide guidance when needed and called for continuous collaboration between the Registrar and directorates for a smooth transition.

In her remarks, Maame Samma Peprah expressed appreciation for the warm reception and the cordial working relationship extended by her predecessor. She stressed the importance of teamwork and collaboration at all levels to advance the institution’s objectives.

“I look forward to working closely with management and staff to serve the greater interest of the organization,” she affirmed.

She also acknowledged the wealth of knowledge and experience Mrs. Oware brings and expressed her readiness to tap into her expertise to further strengthen the institution.

With a focus on continuity and progress, the new Acting Registrar of Companies is set to build upon the foundation laid by her predecessor while fostering a collaborative and efficient work environment.

Other bodies include the Ghana Institute of Planners, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, The Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Medical Association, Geological Society of Ghana, Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana, Insurance Institute of Ghana, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, among others.

This is due to their failure to submit their annual accounts and update their certificate of membership in accordance with Section 16 of the Professional Bodies Registration Act 1973.

The Office has therefore given the affected bodies up to June 30, 2024, being the deadline for the submission of Annual Returns to file their Annual Accounts.

The Office says it has initiated legal proceedings to that effect.

“The exercise has become imperative due to failure by these Professional Bodies to file their Annual Accounts and update their Certificate of Membership in accordance with Section 16 of the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973, NRCD 143 with the Registrar of Professional Bodies.

“Following a meeting with the Executive Council Members of all registered Professional Bodies, the Registrar of Companies (ROC) who is the regulator of Professional Bodies, directed those who had been in default for more than two years and had not updated their members’ certification to do so by the end of December 2023 or risk their name being struck off the Professional Bodies Register in accordance with section 11(b) of the Professional Bodies Act 1973(NRCD 143),” the Office explained in a statement.

The filing should be accompanied by a copy of the Audited Accounts of the Body, an updated list of its Members and any changes made to its Constitution before the removal of defaulters from the Register which commences at the end of June 2024 in accordance with section 15 (1)(2) and 16(1)(2).

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Attached below is the list of 65 registered Professional Bodies in default as at 22nd April, 2024:

The exercise is in line with Section 5A (2) of the Registration of Business Names Act, 1962 (Act 151) on annual renewals.

The act reads: “Without prejudice to any other liability prescribed by this act, a registration which is not renewed in accordance with this section shall LAPSE and the registrar may remove from the register the business name of the person whose registration has lapsed after the expiration of the period prescribed for the renewal.”

Deadline

The Registrar of Companies, Jemima Oware, who gave the hint, said defaulting businesses had up till April 30, 2023, to get their names into good standing.

“After April 30, 2023, all such defaulting business names will be struck out,” she added.

A statement signed and issued by her explained that failure to renew a business name (sole proprietorship) or a subsidiary business name for a period of three months after the year had ended left the name open to be used by anyone interested in it.

“Therefore, to avoid such business names falling into the public domain and for anyone of interest to use them after they have been struck off the Business Names Register, all business name owners are entreated to renew their business names before the end of April 2023,” the statement said.

Payments

It said business name owners could be in good standing by renewing their business names through the short code *222# and follow the prompts to make payment on the Ghana.Gov payment platform with their mobile money (MoMo) wallet, “or walk into our offices across the country and make payment at our in-house Fidelity Bank”.

The statement advised the public to avoid the use of intermediaries and agents when transacting business with the ORC.

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“We entreat our clients to ignore all calls or text messages from fraudsters purporting to be ‘lawyers’ or staff of the office and demanding mobile money transfers in order to put their businesses in good standing.

“Kindly note that the office does not have nor operate a mobile money account or have designated any lawyer for that purpose,” the statement advised business owners.