Veronica Mensah, the Assistant Chief Company Inspector at the Registrar of Companies, has called on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to prioritize proper registration to access donor funding, government support, and ensure credibility.
Speaking at the Africa Non-Profit Summit 2025 in Accra on May 13, 2025, at the University of Ghana, she emphasised that many nonprofit organizations still operate outside the legal framework, limiting their ability to grow and make a lasting impact. "There are some people who don't even know that they have to be registered as an NGO If you haven't registered with us, you can't get donor funding, the government cannot support you, and people from outside can't invest in your NGO because you are not legal.
So, if you register and comply with the laws, it helps," she said.
She explained that registration also includes disclosing the beneficial owners, appointing auditors, and establishing a verifiable physical office as required by law. "Sometimes, organizations provide fake phone numbers, wrong locations, or even offices that don't exist.
