RGD cracks the whip on defaulting companies today

The Registrar – General’s Department will to today begin the enforcement of penalty on filing of annual reports for companies.

According to the Registrar – General’s Department, all companies who failed to file their annual returns will be made to pay 25 penalty units, amounting to 300 cedis for each day that the default continues.

This comes after the department last August extended the enforcement of penalty for the registration of companies from Monday August 1 to Monday October 3, 2016 due to a strike  by the Civil and Local Government Service Staff Association of Ghana (CLOSSAG).

Speaking to Citi Business News the Acting Registrar – General at the Registrar – General’s Department Mrs. Jemima Oware told  Citi Business News the department will not extend services to companies who have failed to file their returns by today.

“If you are freshly incorporated you have 18 months to file your first returns after incorporated and then is yearly thereafter. Let me say we had to postpone the enforcement of the penalty due to the strike by CLOSSAG and there was no staff to receive the returns.  That is why we gave almost the three months grace period hoping that people will take advantage and ensure that they file their returns, “she said.

“But what is interesting is that it looks like a lot of them went to sleep and did not file their returns as expected,” she added.

Mrs. Oware further explained that “we will continue to enforce the penalty as per the laws and also if you come and file any document at the department it will not be worked on. Work on documents filed will be on only those who have filed returns update.”

By: Norvan Acquah – Hayford/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana