By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
Welcome to Ghana — where bureaucracy isn’t a system. It’s an adventure. A lifestyle. A national personality trait passed down like jollof rice recipes and plastic chair stacking skills.
If patience is a virtue, then every Ghanaian deserves sainthood — and a Nobel Peace Prize for not losing it completely at a government office.
The Birth Certificate Olympics
Let’s start with the one document that says “Yes, you exist”: the birth certificate.
You’d think it’s simple. I mean — you were born, right? There were witnesses. A midwife. Maybe even a whole naming ceremony with a goat.
But Ghana says, “Prove it.”
And thus begins the spiritual marathon:
- Find your weighing card — that little brown card from 1983 your mother used as a coaster.
- Fill a form. In triplicate. With carbon paper. In 2025.
- Find a “certifying officer” who is either on leave, in a funeral, or eating waakye somewhere.
- Pay a fee. No price list. Just “talk to that man in the corner.”
- Submit. Wait. Pray.
⏳ One guy said he applied for his child’s birth certificate when she was 2. She got it when she was 8 — just in time to take the BECE.
Ministries, Departments, & Agencies (MDAs): The Maze of Many Windows
Let’s say you want to register a company. Sounds easy?
Welcome to the official scavenger hunt of the Republic of Ghana.
- First stop: Registrar General’s Department — where the forms are photocopied so many times you need a magnifying glass.
- Next: GRA for a Tax Identification Number (TIN).
- Then: SSNIT for pensions, even though your only “employee” is you and your WhatsApp Business account.
- And if you want to sell food, good luck — EPA, FDA, Fire Service, Metropolitan Assembly… all need to bless your stew.
🔁 Each stop requires:
- 3 passport pictures (never smiling)
- A utility bill from 1997
- A photocopy of your grandmother’s wedding certificate (just in case)
The Queue That Never Moves
Ghana’s greatest innovation is not mobile money. It’s the queue.
And there are levels:
- Level 1: Physical queue — people standing outside under a mango tree
- Level 2: Mental queue — “I was here before you, I only stepped out”
- Level 3: VIP queue — “He knows someone inside”
😎 Fun Fact: A guy once showed up with 12 forms, claiming he was “holding place” for his whole extended family.
And when the lights go off?
“Oh sorry, the system is down. Come tomorrow.”
Tomorrow becomes next week. Next week becomes next year. The queue? Eternal.
Ghana’s National Treasure: The Photocopy Machine
The one thing you must always have: a photocopy.
Ghanaians photocopy:
- IDs (front, back, and side view)
- Certificates (even the ones laminated)
- Receipts from restaurants (no one knows why)
Every ministry has:
- One working printer (never connected)
- Two broken copiers (serving as tables)
- One guy outside in a wooden kiosk who charges 5 cedis per copy and accepts only MTN Mobile Money.
🧃 Bonus: He also sells biscuits and FanIce while you wait.
Signature Safari
Every form must be signed by 4–8 different people:
- The Director
- The Assistant Director
- The Deputy to the Assistant Director
- The Head of the Department of Headings
Each person is:
- On leave
- In a meeting
- Or “traveled to Wa” (which may or may not be real)
You become an unpaid intern just chasing signatures.
Why It Matters
Ghana’s bureaucracy isn’t just red tape. It’s red cloth, wrapped in tradition, marinated in inefficiency, and fried in diesel.
But beneath it all is a lesson: Survival. Creativity. Resilience.
You haven’t lived until:
- You’ve filled a form while balancing a toddler on your lap.
- You’ve begged a receptionist with a bag of plantain.
- You’ve sat in a government waiting room for so long, you know everyone’s favorite radio presenter.
Yet Ghanaians don’t riot.
They smile. They joke. They carry folding chairs to wait with style.
🇬🇭 This is not failure. It’s function — Ghana style.
Final Word
Yes, Ghana’s bureaucracy is a slow-burning comedy with no punchline.
But like all things Ghanaian, it works — somehow.
So, next time you’re frustrated by a slow system in your country, just imagine:
- Someone in Accra,
- Sitting under a neem tree,
- Charging their phone from a car battery,
- Holding a folder tied with shoelaces,
- Waiting for a man named “Uncle Joe” to come back from lunch (which started at 10 a.m.)
This is Ghana — where red tape has a name, a vibe, and probably a funeral to attend.
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.