The Registrar of Companies (ORC) has announced plans to remove 65 professional bodies including the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Bar Association from its companies register.
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:
