Tangled sovereignty: How Ghana’s money bouquets are wilting the soul of the cedi
IT was during a bright afternoon at the graduation grounds of the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED), Mampong, one of Ghana’s premier public universities, that I caught sight of something through my camera lens. Surrounded by sprawling green lawns, proud parents and rows of black academic gowns, a graduate stood holding what … The post Tangled sovereignty: How…
At the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development in Ghana, graduates were presenting elaborate flower arrangements made entirely of crisp, uncirculated banknotes. While well-wishers admired the displays, the reporter felt a sense of shock and disapproval. Money bouquets, money cakes, and other decorative displays crafted from Ghanaian cedi notes have become a popular trend, especially for birthdays, weddings, and graduations.
However, the legal tender of the Republic of Ghana is a symbol of national sovereignty, protected by statutes, and tampering with or improperly handling notes is a criminal offence under the Currency Act of 1964. The Bank of Ghana has warned the public against using banknotes to create money bouquets, as it constitutes misuse and abuse of currency, and violations can result in arrest and prosecution.
The damage caused by handling banknotes for decorative purposes can reduce their operational lifespan, leading to unnecessary costs for the central bank. This trend of abusing currency as a symbol of vanity may erode public respect for the legal tender and threaten the nation's economic stability.
Written by urgent.news from Ghanaian Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
