Attorney General Directs New ORC Board to Spearhead Institutional Reform and Enhance Compliance
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has charged the newly inaugurated Governing Board of the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) to reform, strengthen and reposition the institution as a credible and independent regulator of businesses in Ghana.
The 11-member Governing Board, chaired by David Kudoadzi, Esq., was inaugurated on Monday, August 18, 2025, at a ceremony attended by government officials, corporate governance experts and industry stakeholders.
In his remarks, Dr. Ayine underscored the indispensable role of collective expertise in addressing the challenges facing corporate governance in Ghana.
He noted that the ORC, as the statutory body mandated to register and regulate businesses, faces pressing constraints including technology and system limitations, weak verification mechanisms, human resource and legal bottlenecks, an outdated Business Names Act of 1962 and staff and infrastructure shortfalls.
Against this backdrop, the Attorney-General tasked the Governing Board to prioritise reforms that will “transform the ORC into a strong institution that not only registers businesses but also instills trust, promotes compliance and drives economic growth.”
He urged the Board to review the Business Names Act to reflect modern commerce and digital entrepreneurship, strengthen inter-agency partnerships for data verification, and address staffing and infrastructure gaps.
Dr. Ayine also stressed the urgent need to eliminate the activities of middlemen, popularly known as “Goro Boys,” saying their operations increase the cost of registration and erode public trust.
“Tackling the use of such intermediaries is critical to addressing issues of bribery and corruption involving public officials, which continue to undermine the efficiency, transparency, and credibility of the Office of the Registrar of Companies,” he said.
The Minister further emphasized the need to strengthen the ORC’s zonal offices with adequate personnel and technology to enhance nationwide service delivery.
He challenged the new Board to work toward improving Ghana’s performance in global Ease of Doing Business rankings, noting that by the end of their tenure, the ORC should “not only show remarkable progress but preferably rank among the top-performing institutions driving business reforms in the country.”
He assured the Governing Board of his office’s support, encouraging them to approach their work with clarity of purpose, service, and commitment to the values of the institution.
The Board includes Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, Esq.; Eric Nipah; Prof. Williams Abayaawien Atuilik; Mrs. Maame Samma Peprah, Esq.; Mr. Ferdinand D. Adadzi, Esq.; Ms. Selina Bebaako-Mensah; Ms. Gloria Kafui Hiadzi; Mrs. Deborah Mawuse Agyemfra, Esq.; Mr. George Amissah Jnr, Esq.; and Mr. Noah Tumfo.
The inauguration marks an important milestone in strengthening the governance of the ORC as the new Board assumes responsibility for guiding reforms to enhance efficiency, credibility and alignment with international corporate governance standards.
