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The Bank of Ghana described the operation as its largest enforcement action to date against currency misuse after a tip-off led officers to apprehend the suspects at multiple sites in the capital. All seven were women who reportedly created the decorative items for commercial sale as gifts for occasions such as weddings, birthdays and graduations. Investigations are continuing and the individuals will be prosecuted with penalties that could include fines or imprisonment according to the relevant statute.
Dinah Bonzi who heads the statistics office in the Bank of Ghana’s currency management department said the arrests were intended to deliver a strong message to individuals and businesses engaged in the practice. “The Bank of Ghana wishes to issue a warning to the general public for using banknotes and coins to create money bouquets, money cakes for weddings, for birthdays, for graduations, and other similar events, which constitutes the misuse and abuse of the currency and is illegal and unlawful,” Bonzi said. She added that those who aid promote or facilitate such activities would also be subject to arrest and prosecution.
A notice issued by the Bank of Ghana in July 2026 listed using currency for decorations among acts that impair the cedi’s value and constitute offences under the Currency Act of 1964. The document warned against spraying notes at events writing on them tearing crumpling or otherwise mutilating legal tender while stressing that the cedi must serve exclusively as a medium of exchange. Bank of Ghana officials have maintained that these prohibitions protect the integrity of the national currency and prevent unnecessary costs associated with premature replacement of damaged notes.
The creation of elaborate money bouquets and currency-adorned cakes has become increasingly common at social events where they are presented as ostentatious gifts. However a Bank of Ghana assessment found that such uses amount to defacement and unlawful handling that undermine public confidence in the currency. Similar warnings have been issued in the past against related practices including scattering notes on the ground or altering their appearance in any form.
Hassan Ayariga told Pulse Ghana that the Bank of Ghana should clarify the legal boundary between gifting legitimately earned money and actions that damage currency. The politician argued that citizens retain the right to use their funds creatively for celebrations without facing prosecution. His comments reflect a strand of public discussion that emerged immediately after the arrests were announced.
The Bank of Ghana reiterated that the cedi as legal tender of the Republic demands respectful treatment to preserve its usability and value. Bonzi noted in her briefing that the operation should serve as a clear deterrent to others considering similar ventures. The authority indicated it would sustain enforcement efforts against all forms of currency abuse across the country.
