A new software with efficient functionalities is being procured through the World Bank to promote the ease of doing business in Ghana.
The Registrar of Companies, Jemima Oware, who disclosed this in Accra, explained that the application which is an online system with fewer walk-ins will ensure effective data exchanges between the solution and other systems to facilitate the business registration process and data sharing.
The move she said would enhance the ease of use and reduce turnaround time for services at the Office of the Registrar of
Companies (ORC) and help do away with what she called the ‘goroism’.
Mrs Oware disclosed this at the 5th American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana/ Ghana Association of Restructuring & Insolvency Advisors (AmCham/ GARIA) business meeting held in Accra.
The meeting brought together members of the two bodies to hold a discussion on ‘the New Office of the Registrar of Companies towards Enhancing the Ease of Doing Business in Ghana.’
The data exchange and sharing, she said, would be done electronically such that bulk data could also be subscribed at a fee where a Standard Application Programming Interface (API) will be provided for data-sharing purposes and real-time information access.
Applicants will be given the opportunity to select the bank of their choice during the registration process and data will be sent to that particular bank for account opening for the client at a fee.
“The solution will have artificial intelligence (AI) chatting capabilities which will enhance the registration process for online users.
The chat robot (voice and text) will be able to assist clients throughout the process to the point of generating certificates in our local dialect. This will help do away with the ‘goroism’, she said.
Goro boys
Mrs Oware said the operations of the ‘goro boys’ who most probably ended up issuing fraudulent documents affected her outfit immensely despite all the efforts made to get rid of them.
“That is why a VVIP unit will be established in the ORC located at the RGD to provide swift services and cut out the operations of the ‘goro boys’. Approval has been given by Parliament to charge higher fees for this expedited service.
“Once we are able to do this and people are getting the service that they are supposed to be provided with, I think they’ll go away and most importantly, that’s even a better one when the new software is deployed. So I believe that will do away with them,” she said.
Navigating economic challenges
The President of AmCham Ghana, Ayesha Bedwei Ibe, said as key players in the business environment, it was important to have opportunities to discuss and have different ways of making doing business easier in Ghana.
She said businesses were being hit so hard by the current economic crisis and other challenges in the country, hence it was necessary for the society to meet up and deliberate on ways to run businesses.
“We all have our minds on so many things especially now when it comes to our living standards in Ghana and running our businesses, we really need to keep a lot together. So I think this event is timely, looking at the current situation in the country,” she said.
