Bank of Ghana tightens sanctions on dud cheque offenders

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced a significant tightening of sanctions against customers who issue dud cheques, aiming to curb the persistent rise in this practice. The central bank expressed concern that the continued issuance of dishonoured cheques undermines confidence in Ghana's payment system.

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under the new directive, a customer who issued a dud cheque for the first time would be charged a penalty equivalent to 10 per cent of the cheque’s face value. The customer would also receive a formal warning from the bank or SDI and be placed under surveillance for at least one year.

A notice issued on June 24, 2026, introduces a graduated sanctions regime designed to deter offenders and protect the integrity of cheque transactions. For a first-time offense, a customer will be charged a penalty equivalent to 10 percent of the cheque's face value. They will also receive a formal warning, be placed under surveillance for at least one year, and have the offense reported to Credit Reference Bureaus and the Bank of Ghana.

Customers who commit a second offense within a year will face more severe penalties, including a 15 percent levy on the cheque's value, another warning, and fresh reporting to authorities. A third offense within the same one-year period will result in a 20 percent penalty of the cheque's face value. Beyond financial penalties, third-time offenders will be prohibited from issuing cheques in Ghana for a minimum of three years and barred from obtaining new credit facilities from the banking sector for one year.

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Customers who repeat the offence within a year of the first incident will face stiffer penalties. A second offence will attract a levy of 15 per cent of the cheque’s value, accompanied by another warning and fresh reporting to the relevant authorities.

While affected customers can still receive funds and conduct electronic transactions, they will be prohibited from issuing cheques during the sanction period. Banks and specialized deposit-taking institutions (SDIs) must notify the BoG of such bans and recall unused cheque books within five working days. Failure to comply could lead to additional sanctions, including a potential ban from operating any current account and listing in a proposed Directory of High-Risk Cheque Issuers. Banks and SDIs are also obligated to continue reporting all dud cheque incidents to Credit Reference Bureaus and submit monthly returns to the BoG.

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For a third offence within the same one-year period, the customer would be required to pay a penalty of 20 per cent of the cheque’s face value. Beyond the financial penalties, a third-time offender would be prohibited from issuing cheques in Ghana for a minimum period of three years, adding that such an individual would also be barred from obtaining new credit facilities from the banking sector for one year.