BoG Cracks Down on Coin Rejection,Warns Offenders to face three Years in Jail

BoG Cracks Down on Coin Rejection, Warns Offenders Face Up to Three Years in Jail

The Bank of Ghana has intensified its campaign to safeguard the integrity of the national currency, warning that traders, transport operators and businesses that refuse to accept Ghana cedi coins as payment risk prosecution, fines and imprisonment under the country’s currency laws.

In a public notice issued on 22 July 2026, the central bank said it had become increasingly concerned about the widespread refusal to accept the 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pesewa coins, as well as the GH¢1 and GH¢2 coins, despite all remaining legal tender.

The directive follows an earlier notice on the misuse and abuse of Ghana cedi banknotes and coins, extending the Bank’s enforcement efforts beyond protecting the physical condition of the currency to ensuring its lawful acceptance in commercial transactions.

The Bank stressed that no coin currently in circulation has been withdrawn or demonetised, making it unlawful for any individual or business to reject them on grounds of inconvenience, low value or personal preference.

Citing the Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242) and the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612), as amended, the central bank said refusing to sell goods or provide services because payment is made with legal tender coins constitutes a criminal offence.

Under the law, offenders are liable upon conviction to a fine, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. The notice further warned that business owners who direct employees to reject coins could face the same penalties, while persons caught committing the offence may be arrested without a warrant.

The Bank of Ghana said it would work with the Ghana Police Service and other law enforcement agencies to ensure strict compliance, adding that members of the public should report incidents of coin rejection through the Bank’s offices, the police or its official communication channels.

The notice, signed by Aimee Vyda Quashie, Secretary of the Bank of Ghana, urged businesses and consumers alike to support confidence in Ghana’s monetary system by accepting and using all denominations of the cedi in accordance with the law.

The latest enforcement action underscores the central bank’s broader strategy to preserve the credibility and seamless circulation of the cedi, while reinforcing that every denomination issued by the Bank remains an integral part of Ghana’s legal tender system.