President Akufo-Addo launches Office of the Registrar of Companies

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has officially launched the Office of the Registrar of Companies, marking the separation of company registration functions from the Registrar General’s Department.

Speaking at the launch in Accra on July 22, 2022, the President described the event as a significant milestone, noting that it came after a 15-year wait and followed the passage of the Companies Act, 2019.

He explained that the Act established the Office of the Registrar of Companies to oversee the registration and administration of companies, while providing advisory services to businesses.

President Akufo-Addo clarified that the creation of the new office does not render the Registrar General’s Department obsolete. Instead, the department will continue to perform its remaining responsibilities under a newly appointed Registrar General.

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He also announced that the Office of the Registrar of Companies would eventually relocate to a purpose-built facility on a two-acre parcel of land acquired within the University of Ghana campus, as the current office space is considered inadequate.

The President urged all stakeholders to support the new institution in delivering efficient services and improving Ghana’s business registration processes.

The Office of the Registrar of Companies is responsible for registering companies and ensuring they comply with the provisions of the Companies Act.

Before the reforms, the Registrar General’s Department handled company registration alongside other responsibilities, including the registration of partnerships, business names, marriages, adoptions, and property rights.

With the new arrangement, the Registrar General’s Department will focus on its remaining statutory functions, while all matters relating to company registration and business operations will be managed by the Office of the Registrar of Companies.

The Companies Act, 2019 also allows both institutions to retain their internally generated funds to support their operations.