Registering a Non-Profit Organisation in Ghana
You are probably thinking about incorporating a kind of company known as a company limited by guarantee. What it means is that there are certain persons who guarantee that if the company is dissolved, they will pay any liabilities that the company owes to third parties.
Part One – The Registrar-General’s Department
Step One
You need to purchase and fill ‘NGO registration forms’ (form 3, 4 and a copy of Table B – regulations of a company limited by guarantee) as required by the companies law of Ghana, from the Registrar General’s Department.
The incorporation details needed to fill the forms would include:
• The name of the NGO
• Objects
• the first members of the Executive Council or Board(from 2 to 20)
• Particulars of Directors and Secretary (including names, nationality, residential address & business occupation)
• Name and address of Auditors
• Address of registered office, principal place of business
Step Two
You then submit the filled forms to the Registrar Generals Department together with the registration fees of about GH155.00 and other regulatory charges.
Step Three
The registry will then issue you with a Certificate of Incorporation and a Certificate to Commence Business in about two weeks, provided all the information you provided on your forms were correct.
Part Two – The Department of Social Welfare
Step One
Apply for NGO status at the Department of Social Welfare which is the regulator of NGOs in Ghana, by submitting the following to the national office of the department in Accra:
• Certificates of incorporation and Commencement of business
• Application letter on the organisation’s official letterhead
• The organisation’s Constitution
• An NGO Profile form
• A Social investigation report
• A recommended letter from the district, municipal or metropolitan assembly responsible for the area where your NGO is to be located
• Brochure or publication about your organisation
• 3 copies of an endorsement letter from a regional office of the Department of social welfare
Step Two
Fees apply here and the components of the fee can be obtained from the department.
Step Three
It takes about a month to secure the NGO status through a “Certificate of Recognition”.
You can also solicit the services of a professional company secretarial firm or a law firm to assist in the registration of your NGO at a fee.