The days of casual refusal to accept Ghana cedi coins at shops, markets and in commercial vehicles may soon be coming to an end, as the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced a nationwide enforcement drive.
The drive, the BoG says, is in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service to ensure compliance with the country’s legal tender laws.
In a public notice, the central bank said it would work closely with law enforcement agencies to tackle the growing practice of traders, transport operators and businesses rejecting pesewa coins and the GH¢1 and GH¢2 coins during commercial transactions.
The move marks a shift from public education to active enforcement, with the Bank making it clear that those who continue to reject legal tender could face arrest, prosecution, fines or imprisonment under Ghana’s currency laws.
According to the Bank, all coins it has issued remain valid legal tender and must be accepted across the country for the payment of goods and services. None of the existing coin denominations has been withdrawn from circulation or lost its legal status.
Yet despite this, many Ghanaians continue to encounter situations where sellers refuse to accept coins or decline to give change in coins, forcing consumers to either abandon their change or make additional purchases. On the other hand, some customers also refuse to accept coins as change.
The Bank says this practice undermines the proper functioning of the national currency and cannot continue unchecked.
To address the problem, the Bank announced that it will collaborate with the Ghana Police Service and other law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals and businesses found violating the law.
The central bank warned that businesses and customers persisting in the unlawful rejection of coins expose themselves to criminal sanctions, including arrest and prosecution.
