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The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has disclosed that noncompliant companies in the filing of annual returns and financial statements in the country are dominated by churches.
It came to light in the ORC’s notice of ultimatum to companies who have defaulted in paying their annual returns dating as far back as 2010. Revenue entitled companies to pay yearly is GHC90.
Speaking on the Anopa Bofo morning show, the Public Relation Officer of the ORC, Nicholas Ofori, said churches occupy greater percentage of the defiant companies which are private and public.
“We will take these churches through legal process; if they refuse to come and file their annual returns, then their names will be delisted from the company registrar,” he indicated
“What it means is that churches are also companies, just that they do not run their operations as profit-making organizations” he schooled.
There are a lot of companies but most of them are churches and that is why we are keenly targeting these churches, although most companies in the country have also failed to oblige with the ORC directives since their respective registrations.
“Some since 2010, 2011, 2012, a reason we have decided to go after these companies according to the ORC laws,” said Mr. Ofori on Thursday’s edition of the show.
He detailed that the regulatory law of the ORC allows registered companies to annually file their annual returns and financial statements to present their revenue to the registrar and to also brief them on changes effected to the companies, however the defaulting companies are doing otherwise.
According to the PRO, almost “2,500 to 2,800 churches” have been found defaulting and added that out of the given figures it is “shocking to know that some big churches in the country are victim”, he told Kwadwo Oppong Kyeremeh ‘Wonder Gee’, host of the show.
Nicholas Opoku stressed by urging all defaulting companies especially the churches to ensure they file their annual returns by 30th June 2023, to avoid being removed from the Companies’ Register.
He furthered by warning that not only shall these churches be clamped down but would also be prosecuted and be compelled to pay a penalty of GHC600 for late filing of the annual returns.
