The central bank says patched-up banknotes are unfit for circulation and may be rejected at the till, leaving holders out of pocket.
The Bank of Ghana (BoG), the country's central bank, has told the public to stop repairing torn or damaged cedi notes and pushing them back into circulation.
In a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday through its Communications Department and sent to the Ghanaian Times, the BoG said it had seen a video spreading on social media in which people were taping together torn and soiled banknotes so they could be re-issued \u2014 apparently as a money-making venture.
The Bank said no one should repair, re-join or in any way alter a mutilated banknote for the purpose of returning it to circulation.
Why the BoG is worried
According to the central bank, notes that have been taped, glued, stapled or otherwise patched up are simply unfit for circulation. They weaken confidence in the currency and make it harder for banks and cash centres to process money properly.
There is also a practical risk. The BoG said repaired notes can damage automated teller machines (ATMs) and the machines banks use to count and sort cash.
The bigger risk falls on the person holding the note. The Bank warned that a repaired note may be refused when it is presented for payment or exchange, which means the holder could lose the value of that money outright.
What to do with a damaged note
The BoG stressed that it alone has the mandate to manage Ghana's currency. Anyone holding a mutilated or damaged banknote should take it to a commercial bank, where it will be examined and replaced under the Bank's established procedures.
There is one important condition. For a damaged note to even be considered for examination, more than half of the original note must be presented. A fragment smaller than that will not qualify.
The Bank also asked the public to report anyone involved in improperly repairing, re-joining or mutilating banknotes, either to the Bank of Ghana directly or to law enforcement authorities.
A note on national pride
The BoG framed the issue as more than a technical banking matter. It described the cedi as legal tender and an important national symbol, and urged Ghanaians to handle the notes with care.
"Respect the Cedi. It is our national pride," the statement said.
What this means if you are abroad
For Ghanaians in the United States and elsewhere who hold cedi notes from past visits, or who send cash home through family and friends, the warning is worth noting. Notes that arrive torn should not be patched with tape by a relative at home. The cleaner route is to take the note to a commercial bank in Ghana for assessment and replacement, provided more than half of it survives.
The BoG did not announce any new penalty or deadline in the statement. Its message was a caution and a reminder of the existing replacement process.
