The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) and Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish ORC service desks in selected UMB branches, a move expected to reduce the cost of accessing business registration services, improve regulatory compliance and support Ghana’s drive to create a more business-friendly environment.
The initiative will enable entrepreneurs and businesses to access key ORC services, including business entity registration, filing of annual returns, renewals and public education on regulatory procedures, directly from designated UMB branches. Re-registration, liquidation and insolvency services will not be covered under the arrangement.
The first phase of implementation will commence at UMB’s Labone, Tema, and Kasoa branches, with both institutions agreeing to expand to additional locations through mutual agreement.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, Maame Samma Peprah, Registrar of Companies, said the partnership represents a major step in strengthening public-private collaboration to improve service delivery and encourage business formalisation.
She said the ORC’s vision of becoming a “technology-driven and customer-focused institution” extends beyond digital transformation to ensuring services are more accessible to businesses across the country. Locating ORC officers within bank branches, she noted, would reduce travel time, lower transaction costs, and make compliance easier for entrepreneurs.
Peprah described collaboration as the “currency of modern governance,” saying strategic partnerships can improve public service responsiveness while creating greater value for the economy.
She also stressed that business formalisation remains a key driver of economic development, noting that registered businesses are better positioned to build credibility, attract investment, access financing and create sustainable employment opportunities. She commended UMB for supporting initiatives that strengthen Ghana’s business environment.
UMB Bank Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Oti Mensah welcomed the partnership and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and businesses through the initiative. He pledged the bank’s continued support for the successful implementation and future expansion of the programme.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts to improve the ease of doing business by bringing essential government services closer to businesses through strategic partnerships with the private sector.
