Making business registration seamless: ORC seeks world-class customer-oriented service
The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), a statutory entity entrusted with the registration of all types of businesses and the provision of advisory services, was established by the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) with the clear mandate to register and regulate all types of businesses in conformity with this Act and any other relevant enactments.
It also has the mandate for the provision of advisory services, making it the repository of corporate information and also mandated to ensure that the general public is enlightened on the activities of the ORC, through aggressive and well-crafted educational programmes and messages.
Having been carved out from the Registrar-General’s Department (RGD) as an autonomous body, the ORC has the vision to be a world-class customer-oriented innovative business registry for socio-economic development in Ghana through strategic plans, innovative tools and customer-oriented approaches.
With its mandate and vision clearly outlined, the ORC has since its commencement devised a strategic plan to streamline the processes of registrations by the implementation of simplified registration and compliance procedures to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The ORC, by its scheme of work, is manned by three officers made up of the Registrar of Companies, the Deputy Registrar in charge of Operations and the Deputy Registrar in charge of General Services. They are assisted by esteemed skilled professionals to complement the efforts of the three to execute the mandate.
Object and function
The ORC is solidly anchored on registration, regulation and education, which are its core functions as contained in the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992).
Registration
Under registration, it includes Business Names in accordance with the Registration of Business Names Act, 1962 (Act 151); Companies in accordance with the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992); Partnerships in accordance with the Incorporated Private Partnerships Act, 1962 (Act 152), and Professional Bodies pursuant to the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973 (N.R.C.D. 143), other than Professional Bodies established by an Act of the Parliament.
Officers at the Office of the Registrar of Companies busily serving clients
Regulation
As part of its core functions, the ORC is to appoint inspectors, receivers or managers to ensure effective compliance with the Act; discharge duties and perform functions of the Office as the Regulator of Insolvency Practitioners and be the Official Liquidator under the Corporate Insolvency & Restructuring Act, 2020 (Act 1015) and its Amendment, 2020 (Act 1031), as well as responsible for collecting and collating information on business entities registered in the Business Register.
Education
Education is a major aspect of the core functions of the ORC, which include undertaking public education programmes to sensitise the general public engaged in business activities to the operation of companies, partnerships, business names and professional bodies.
It is also to engage in the dissemination of information on business entities registered in the business register.
Divisions
To operate well to meet its vision, mandate and mission, the ORC activities are hinged on two major divisions, which are the Operations Divisions and General Services Divisions.
Operation division
The operations of the ORC are structured under the Registration & Licensing Directorate, Insolvency & Liquidation Service Directorate, Inspection & Compliance Directorate, Legal Directorate and Corporate Affairs & Communication Directorate.
Each of the directorates is manned by various directors, deputy directors and officers responsible for specific areas and schedules to ensure that the ORC works as expected.
General Services Division
To meet international standards, the ORC is investing heavily in cutting-edge technology to attain its vision of being a world-class customer-oriented innovative business registry for socio-economic development in Ghana.
This division has the Information Technology (IT) Directorate, Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring & Evaluation Directorate (PPRM&E), Administration Directorate, Finance Management Directorate and Human Resource (HR) Directorate.
The directorates have their roles clearly cut out. They all have the requisite skilled personnel, whose schedules and duties demand that they focus on achieving their respective duties towards the overall delivery of the mandate of the institution.
Challenges
However, with all these carefully outlined structures and functions, as well as such laudable mandate, vision and mission, it is clear that having been made an autonomous entity from the RGD and still residing within the same premises poses serious branding challenges.
Additionally, shifting from shared systems and workflows under the RGD to an autonomous operational framework posed logistical and procedural challenges, especially operating from the same premises as the RGD, making it very difficult to brand the ORC as a separate organisation.
Staff realignment to new roles and responsibilities, while ensuring adequate training and resource allocation, establishing independent office spaces, new directorates and operational systems, and transferring and consolidating historical records and databases to the new system without losing critical information, has proved complex and time-consuming also, logistical set-ups to support the new entity are critical challenges that require immediate solutions.
These challenges, though significant, have provided an opportunity for the ORC to innovate, refine its operations and build a robust foundation for achieving its mandate.
Addressing challenges
To address all these challenges, the onus is on the ORC to devise innovative measures by embarking on aggressive sensitisation, educating stakeholders about the creation of the ORC, its mandate, roles and responsibilities and ensuring they understand the new processes and compliance requirements.
The ORC has also started the development and construction works at a spacious place and when completed, the congestion and branding challenges will be addressed.
Additionally, the ORC has developed plans to digitalise its activities by adopting robust online platforms for business registration, filing, payments, administration, restructuring and dissolution of businesses to ensure seamless service delivery.
It has also created client support systems through the establishment of responsive help desks, chat boxes, call centres, and customer service channels to address client queries promptly and has also embarked on educational initiatives to inform stakeholders about the registration processes and compliance requirements.
The ORC is currently partnering local and international organisations to share best practices and improve operational standards, leveraging cutting-edge tools such as cloud-based systems, AI-driven analytics and secure digital databases to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Additionally, the entity is investing in continuous professional development for employees to enhance their skills and align them with global standards.
It is also collaborating with government agencies, industry bodies and private sector stakeholders to create a conducive business environment.
The ORC has also introduced an expedited centre known as the Prestige Centre at the headquarters and all its regional offices, which offers all the registration services but within 24-hour service.
These initiatives, among others, collectively seek to ensure the ORC achieves its vision of a world-class, customer-oriented and innovative business registry.
Filing of Annual Returns
The filing of Annual Returns had been a nightmare for most members of the business community. So, since operating as an autonomous entity, the Office is working hard to change the experience of its customers by going the digital way to file Annual Returns and Financial Statements.
Simplification of process
With funding from the World Bank through the Ghana Economic Transformation Project, the ORC is developing state-of-the-art and robust software, which will migrate its current eRegistrar software to a fully digital registration system known as the E-Business Registry System (EBRS) to be deployed in the second half of 2025. This user-friendly online platform would enable businesses to file their Annual Returns from anywhere; thus, eliminating the need for physical visits.
This is to reduce turnaround time for all its service deliveries through online services. The new eBRS will introduce a novel digital filing of Financial Statements and Annual Returns.
Additionally, ORC will launch through the eBRS Software mobile apps that will provide easy access to filing services, payment options, USSD for renewals and reminders for deadlines, enhancing convenience for users. It will also implement email and SMS notifications to remind companies about upcoming filing deadlines and ensure timely compliance.
With the eBRS, the ORC will incorporate multiple secure payment options such as mobile money, bank transfers, and card payments to streamline transactions, while conducting workshops, webinars and media outreach to educate business owners on the filing process and the importance of compliance.
Customer support services will be effective with the establishment of dedicated helplines and chat boxes to assist clients in navigating the filing process and resolving issues promptly and also integrate systems with some key stakeholders for sharing of data and for the ease of accessing data to be used to complete their registration processes.
These innovations aim to reduce bottlenecks, improve compliance rates and foster a more efficient and client-friendly environment for businesses.
Companies Bulletin
The Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) mandates the ORC to establish an official bulletin known as the Companies Bulletin to serve as its official mouthpiece. It serves as a referral point for the publication of matters relating to the operation and regulation of companies and is expected to be maintained as a secured electronic database.
It is to be made accessible in hard and electronic form and will contain notifications in respect of companies, including Publication of fees for the Registrar of Companies; Change of name; Court orders in respect of stay of proceedings in insolvency proceedings and notices striking company names off the register of companies.
Among others, the Companies Bulletin also contains notice of appointment or removal of liquidators; Notice of official liquidation proceedings in respect of companies, a notice of conversion of a private company to a public company, particulars of documents to be filed with the Registrar by external companies, including the name, nature of business, details of share capital, address of foreign principal office /branch, address of local branch, as well as name and address of local manager.
Additionally, the bulletin will also contain notice of winding up of external companies; resolutions of companies in respect of private liquidations; court orders in respect of persons disqualified from acting as company secretaries, directors or in senior management roles; details of unclaimed dividends of companies transferred to the Registrar of Companies for safekeeping and also notices in respect of companies that have filed annual returns.