By Isabella Agyakwa
The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) says it has extended the deadline for filing of annual returns of companies from April 30, 2020 to July 31, 2020 for those whose financial year ended by December 31, 2019.
This relates to companies that are limited by shares, guarantee, external companies and renewal of partnerships.
The move, as explained, is due to the inability of most companies to hold their Annual General Meetings, as scheduled, because of the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country.
To this end, it has asked companies to take advantage of the extension to file their returns or pay a penalty for non-compliance.
A statement signed by RGD’s Head of Public Relations, Constance Adomaa Takyi, indicated that “companies are therefore expected to take advantage of the extended period to file their Annual Returns, as they would be required to pay an increased flat penalty rate of GHC450 for noncompliance effective Monday, August 3, 2020.”
In addition, the Department has reminded other companies whose financial year ended any time before June 30, 2020 that they are expected to file by 31 December 2020.
“To be in good standing in our database and prevent being taken off the Register, Business Names would have to pay for the number of years they have not renewed up to date BUT are not expected to pay any penalty,” it added.
“All businesses who wish to be in good standing in our Register for business purposes should make every effort to comply timeously with these directives,” the statement indicated.
It, however, cautioned against making the payment through any individual or Mobile Money.
“All payments should be made at the Department’s on-site Bank, Fidelity Bank Limited or any other branch of Fidelity and NOT to any individual or any Mobile Money Number. Online filling of Annual Renewals/Returns can also be done via our portal (www.rgdeservices.com),” it advised.
