REGISTRATION AND LICENSING REQUIREMENT

NPO REGISTRATION AND LICENSURE

Organisation seeking to be recognized and documented as an NPO and operate as such shall:

  • Register with the office of the Registrar as Company Limited by Guarantee as per Companies Act,2019 (Act 992)
  • Apply for Licensing from the NPOS as per the Directive for the Management of NPOs Operations in Ghana 2020 and the NPOs Policy 2020.
  • A licensed NPOs shall submit an annual report and annual audited financial statement Three(3)months before the expiration of the financial year for all International and National NPOs.
  • A licensed CBOs shall submit an report and an annual financial statement Three(3)months before the expiration of the financial year for all Community Based Organisation (CBOs).

APPLICATION AND LICENSING

  1. An individual or organization seeking to operate as an NPO shall:
    • complete and submit the appropriate registration forms to the NPO Secretariat.
    • pay a non-refundable fee determined by the NPO Secretariat.
    • be subject to a fit and proper test.
    • provide further information in support of the application if required by the secretariat.
  1. The NPO Secretariat shall issue a Provisional License to an applicant upon meeting criteria(1) above
  2. The Provisional License issued under (2) above shall be valid for a period of three months and shall be renewed.
  3. The final license shall be issued upon satisfactory outcome of the fit and proper test.
  4. Upon expiration of the provisional license, where the applicant has not received any written communication from the Secretariat, a final license shall be issued.

RENEWAL OF LICENSE

  1. An NPO licensed under this Directive shall renew its license annually in accordance with established procedures.
  2. An NPO seeking to renew its license shall submit; 
    • an annual audited (NPOs – International and National) and unaudited (CBOs) financial statement, where applicable, and an operational report.
    • a proof of payment of the renewal fee.
    • a record of any changes in its mandate(where applicable)
    • a tax clearance certificate
    • a beneficial Ownership Profile (B.O)

3. The renewal forms shall be submitted at least three month before the expiration of the license.

4. Failure to renew a license within three months of expiry will amount to suspension of license.

 

ELIGIBILITY

For the purposes of licensing, an individual or organization applying to operate as an NPO/CBO must;

  1. a) be incorporated under the Companies Act, 2019(Act992) as a company limited by guarantee, or

b) For institutions who want to register as a Community Based Organisation (CBO), you need to register with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies(MMDAs), and a Social Inquiry Report (SIR) written for you

2. have a clear mandate, mission statement, vision outlining its purpose, objectives,target beneficiaries andconstitution which is in conformity with the developmental goals of the country,

3. have an identifiable office with a signboard visibly displayed, an accessible postal address,an email address and digital address

4. have clear policies to promote accountability, integrity and public confidence in the administration and management of the organization,

5. have an oversight body or its equivalent policy making body

6. have a certificate of registration of its parent body with the relevant authority to operate in the country where the organisation applying to operate in the country where the organisation applying to operate as an NPO is a subsidiary/affiliate of an international non-profit organisation

Payment procedures

For licensing, a Bank draft indicating the licensing fees payable to Department of Social Welfare (to any bank except the rural banks and finance/loans companies) by order of (the Name of your NPO) as specified in the Fees and Charges Act.

For renewal, a Bank draft indicating the renewal of licensing fees payable to Department of Social Welfare (to any bank except the rural banks and finance/loans companies) by order of (the Name of your NPO) as specified in the Fees and Charges Act.

 [The NPO Secretariat is in the process of changing the account name and will soon notify the NPO Community of the change.]