The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) says that it has initiated legal proceedings to strike off 65 registered Professional Bodies (PBs) that have failed to submit their annual accounts and update their Certificate of Membership.

A professional body is a registered institution or a group of persons with members who are trained and qualified in a recognised profession.

A statement released by the ORC and sighted by GhanaWeb Business stated that this action has become necessary due to non-compliance with Section 16 of the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973, NRCD 143, with the Registrar of Professional Bodies.

The ORC has set a deadline of June 30, 2024, for action to be taken on this issue.

"After meeting with the Executive Council Members of all registered Professional Bodies, the Registrar of Companies (ROC), who oversees Professional Bodies, instructed those 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 removal from the Professional Bodies Register as per section 11(b) of the Professional Bodies Act 1973 (NRCD 143)," the ORC explained.

The Office also noted that out of 91 Professional Bodies, 65 have failed to comply with the directive to renew their certificates and those of their members, and have thus been found to be in default.

"However, Professional Bodies in default can still maintain good standing by submitting their Annual Accounts by June 30, 2024, the deadline for Annual Returns to the Registrar of Professional Bodies," the statement emphasized.

"The filing should include 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 begins at the end of June 2024 in accordance with section 15 (1)(2) and 16(1)(2)," it added.

The ORC stated that it will continue to conduct extensive awareness campaigns and public education on the importance of registered Professional Bodies being in compliance with the Office of the Registrar of Companies.

MA/NOQ