The Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) and the Chartered Institute of Certified Tax Accountants and Auditors are some of the 43 professional bodies in Ghana not in good standing on the List of  Registered Professional Bodies, the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has published.

 In a press release, the ORC said 40 professional bodies are found to be in good standing, while 43 are not in good standing.

In addition, it stated that 11 professional bodies are newly registered and 73 Professional Bodies have no contact numbers to enable the ORC contact the executives to update the records.

“Four Professional Bodies have however requested to be taken off the Register for having gained a Chartered status by an Act of Parliament”.

 Professional Bodies not in Good Standing as at July 31, 2024
1. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GHANA

2. GHANA REGISTERED NURSES AND MIDWIVES ASSOCIATION

3. THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BANKERS (GHANA)

4. INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PRACTITIONERS

5. MINING METALLURGICAL AND PERTOLEUM SOCIETY

6. GHANA ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS

7. GHANA CHEMICAL SOCIETY

8. COMPUTING ASSOCIATION OF GHANA

9. ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH SERVICE ADMINISTRATORS (GHANA)

10. GHANA REGISTERED MIDWIVES ASSOCIATION

11. ASSOCIATION OF RATING VALUERS (GHANA)

12. GHANA SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION

13. GHANA HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION

14. GHANA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY

15. GHANA ASSOCIATION OF TRANSLATORS & INTERPRETORS

16. GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

17. ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING TECHNICIANS

18. GHANA INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL FORESTERS

19. THE GHANA INSTITUTE OF TAXATION

20. GHANA INSTITUTE OF CONSTRUCTION

21. GHANA ASSOCIATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED AND SECRETARIES & ADMINISTRATORS

22. GHANA INSTITUTE OF HORTICULTURISTS

23. GHANA INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

24. DISPENSING TECHNOLOGISTS SOCIETY OF GHANA

25. INSTITUTE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS (GHANA)

26. GHANA OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION

27. GHANA ACADEMY OF CHRISTIAN COUNSELLORS

28. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS, VALUERS & ANALYSTS

29. GHANA QUALITY NSTITUTE

30. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED TAX ACCOUNTANTS

31. ASSOCIATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

32. AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA

33. GHANA ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED CONSULTANTS

34. INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS GHANA

35. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED FORENSIC INVESTIGATION

36. PROFESSIONAL AGILE CERTIFICATION AFRICA

37. GHANA ACADEMY OF FORENSIC SCIENCES

38. GHANA COLLEGE OF SCIENTISTS

39. GLOBAL ACADEMY OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT

40. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED TAX ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS

41. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE GHANA (CIA-GH)

42. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE & DEVELOPMENT

43. GHANA BAR ASSOCIATION

Background 

The Registrar of Companies in a Public Release in May 2024 directed all Professional Bodies in default to file their Annual Returns and update their Certificate of Membership in accordance with Section 16 of the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973, NRCD 143 by June 30, 2024.

This followed an engagement with Executives of registered Professional Bodies in Ghana with the ORC last year.

However, validation of the Register at the end of the deadline has revealed that most Professional Bodies are still not in good standing and have not also renewed the Certificate of their Members thereby putting such bodies at risk of having their names struck off the Register in accordance with section 11 (b) of the NRCD 143.

What is next for these Professional Bodies?
The Registrar of Companies in the official notice urged professional bodies in default to take necessary steps to be in good standing by December 30, 2024. The filing should be accompanied by a copy of the Audited Accounts of the Body, updated list of its Members and any changes made to its Constitution.

It also reminded the Professional Bodies that use “CHARTERED” as part of their names should attach copies of the Charter granted to those bodies by the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana when filing their Annual Returns and updating the Certificate of their Members.

“All those who do not have the Charter granted by Parliament should take steps to have this done within the shortest possible time or in the alternative change their names” The Registrar of Companies added.

The Registrar of Companies Jemima Oware however promised that the office will enforce its core mandate and values to ensure credible business and professional atmosphere for all stakeholders

“The Office will continue its rigorous sensitization and engagement on the need for registered Professional Bodies and Businesses to be in good standing”.