Valentine’s Day is here, and indeed the usual gift options are everywhere: roses, chocolates, perfumes and, increasingly, money bouquets made from folded cedi notes arranged like flowers.
They are eye-catching. They trend well online. They look generous.
But this year, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a clear warning: the use of Ghana cedi notes for decorative purposes, including money bouquets, is illegal.
That warning is not a casual advisory. It is grounded in the Constitution and in statute.
The Constitution and the Bank of Ghana Act
Article 183(1) of the 1992 Constitution gives the Bank of Ghana the sole authority to issue the currency of Ghana. This exclusive mandate is reinforced by section 35 of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 as amended, which provides that only the Bank of Ghana may issue and redeem Ghana cedi notes and coins in Ghana.
The legal effect is straightforward. No individual, business or institution has the authority to treat Ghana cedi notes or coins as tradable merchandise. It is illegal for any person or institution to buy or sell Ghana cedi notes or coins currently in circulation, regardless of the purpose or intent behind that transaction.
Once currency is packaged, priced and marketed as a product, it shifts from its lawful function as legal tender into something the law does not permit.
That shift is central to the problem with money bouquets.
The Currency Act and the Protection of Legal Tender
The Currency Act, 1964 as amended further protects the integrity of Ghana’s currency. The Act does more than address counterfeiting. It also prohibits acts that tend to depreciate or improperly handle coins and notes issued by the Bank of Ghana.
Part I of the Act specifically deals with acts that depreciate the currency. Section 1 makes it an offence to buy, sell or accept a current coin or note at a value lower than its face value. While money bouquets are not always sold at a discount, the broader principle remains important: the cedi must retain its character as money. It cannot lawfully be treated as a commodity.
A conviction under sections 1 to 3 of the Act may attract years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Altering and Damaging Currency Notes
Beyond the issue of trading currency lies the legal concern of physical alteration.
Sections 16 to 18 of the Currency Act address forgery and material alteration of notes. A material alteration includes additions, insertions, removals or other modifications made to a note.
In practice, money bouquets often involve stapling, pinning, gluing, tightly folding or attaching substances to notes in order to achieve a decorative effect. Even where there is no intent to defraud, altering a note in a way that affects its integrity or security features exposes one to legal consequences.
Currency notes are designed for circulation. They contain embedded security features. They are not designed to be pierced with metal pins or coated with glue.
Section 9 of the Act also criminalises impairing, diminishing or altering a current coin with intent that it passes as current coin. Although that section refers specifically to coins, it reinforces a broader legislative principle: the law does not tolerate conduct that undermines the physical integrity of legal tender.
The moment a note is defaced or damaged, it is no longer in the condition in which it was issued.
The BoG’s Warning and Why the Warning Matters
The Bank of Ghana has repeatedly cautioned the public against spraying, stepping on, scattering or defacing cedi notes. Its recent warning ahead of Valentine’s Day makes it clear that money bouquets fall within the category of improper handling of currency.
This is not about dampening celebration. It is about protecting the national currency.
Damaged notes must be withdrawn and replaced at a cost to the state. Security features may be compromised. Over time, normalising the decorative use of currency erodes respect for legal tender and weakens public confidence in the system that supports everyday transactions.
The cedi underpins the country’s financial stability and to a large extent, represents state authority. It must be treated accordingly.
The Legal Risk
Those who create, sell, commission or knowingly participate in the use of real currency for decorative bouquets risk exposure under the Currency Act. Penalties range from substantial fines to imprisonment. In certain circumstances, aiding and abetting provisions may apply to persons who provide assistance or facilities for prohibited acts.
The popularity of a practice, even if widely shared on social media, does not make it lawful.
A Safer Way to Celebrate
There is nothing unlawful about giving money as a gift. The law does not prohibit generosity. It prohibits the trading, defacing or improper alteration of legal tender.
If the intention is to present a meaningful gift, there are simple alternatives: place the cash in an envelope without damaging the notes, use imitation notes for decorative displays, or make an electronic transfer accompanied by a symbolic gesture.
Romance does not require risking a criminal record.
As Valentine’s Day draws near, the warning from the Bank of Ghana should be taken seriously. The Constitution, the Bank of Ghana Act and the Currency Act together create a clear legal framework that protects Ghana’s legal tender from misuse.
Money bouquets may appear harmless and fashionable but under Ghanaian law, they are not.
