Ghana’s target to perform better than the 46th position on the World Bank doing business index has received a boost with rollout of an e-certificate platform on the e-Registrar portal. The roll out marks the successful implementation of the online registration of companies, as well as the authorization of operations of businesses.
Speaking at the launch of the Registrar General’s e-certificate platform in Accra, Executive Chairman of GCNet Dr. Nortey Omaboe explained the rollout was a clear manifestation of the very best of ideals in a Public Private partnership.
He assured that the innovative e-applications, which are developed and deployed by GCNet, are robust and powerful and the e-certificate launch is an example of just one of such innovations conceived, tested and fully operational.
“We at GCNet fully vouch for the integrity of the technological solution that has been produced, and we are extremely proud to be associated with its launch,” Dr. Omaboe assured.
Dr. Omaboe said the eRegistrar platform is linked to the Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS) – the domestic tax platform that integrates with the Customs platform, and also the expenditure monitoring platform of the Ministry of Finance known as the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
Dr. Omaboe observed that it is critical that all important national technology systems are fully integrated within a seamless national technology ecosystem and that GCNet is fully committed to unreservedly playing a leading role in that process.
Launching the e-certificate platform on the e-Registrar portal, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia observed its introduction “signalled the culmination of hard work to reform and enhance the Registrar-General’s Department’s service delivery in line with the President’s vision to make Ghana the most business-friendly nation in Africa”.
Dr. Bawumia expressed optimism that once the new Company’s Act, which is currently before Parliament, is passed into law – which is expected to be soon – a commencement certificate will no longer be required to start a business, nor the incorporation certificate.
“What we are witnessing today is an example of Public Private Partnership with support from development partners, such as the World Bank, with the aim of re-engineering business processes of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Registrar General’s Department,” Dr. Bawumia said.
Minister for Justice and Attorney General Ms Gloria Akuffo cautioned all stakeholders to avoid abusing the system, so as to reap its full benefits and deepen the ease of doing business. She entreated both the Registrar-General’s Department and GCNet to adhere to a rigorous and regular maintenance regime in order to gain optimum advantage from the systems.
Earlier, in her welcome remarks, Registrar-General Mrs. Jemima Oware noted that introduction of the e-certificate platform will allow clients to have an end-to-end process to apply for registration of their businesses online and get their Business Registration Certificate, Incorporation and Commencement Certificates at the end of the process.
The e-certificate functions on the e-Registrar portal platform as deployed by GCNet and is supported by a number of services on-line – including the e-Shop, which allows company searches, reservation of company names, and the booking of marriage ceremonies among others. This is in line with government’s commitment to deepen technology to improve the ease of doing business in Ghana and enhance the country’s business competitiveness.
The result is a significant uptake by Ghanaian businesses using the paperless system, with data showing that by first-half of the year over 6,855 online transactions were conducted via the Registrar-General’s Department portal.
thebftonline.com l Ghana
