The Challenges of Business Registration In Ghana: A Case Study of The Registrar Generals Department

Abstract

The motivation to study the challenges of business registration in Ghana, a case study of the Registrar Generals Department emanates from the fact that in light of the many reforms introduced at the RDG, there seems to be a number of challenges facing the registration of businesses. The main objective of the study is firstly to find out the factors that account for the delays in the registration of business at the RGD in Ghana and measures that could be put in place to reduce the delays in business registration. The study used a mixed method of both qualitative and quantitative methods to arrive at its findings. The key findings of the study concerning the challenges of business registration are; unofficial work for financial rewards by staff of the RGD, lack of advanced technological equipment, inadequate documents submitted by clients, lack of client knowledge of the online registration process and the centralized nature of the RGD. To tackle the challenges above, the following measures were suggested, major educational campaign or drive, establishment of decentralized offices of RGD and one-stop shops. Clients and staff strongly agreed that education, decentrazition and technology are critical in ensuring effective business registration in Ghana.