The Bank of Ghana (BoG) is set to intensify public education on how to authenticate its new Heritage Series banknotes when they are introduced into circulation.

This is according to the Director of the Currency Management Department, Dr Dominic Owusu.

Dr Owusu said the central bank would undertake extensive education to ensure that Ghanaians became familiar with the security features of the new notes and understood how to distinguish genuine banknotes from counterfeit ones.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, 25 September, Dr Owusu said the education campaign would begin as the new notes entered circulation.

“What Bank of Ghana will do is that while these banknotes get into circulation, we are going to do a lot of public education so that people get familiar with methods of authenticating these new notes,” he said.

Dr Owusu said public education had long been part of the Bank of Ghana’s approach to currency management, with the central bank regularly issuing notices and guidance on the proper handling and use of Ghana’s currency.

“You will understand and appreciate that Bank of Ghana in recent times, or even in the past, has been doing a lot of currency education,” he said.

He pointed to previous campaigns addressing the mishandling of banknotes and the rejection of coins, noting that the central bank had used public education to draw attention to practices that contravene currency regulations.

He said a similar approach would be adopted for the Heritage Series to ensure that the public was adequately prepared to use and authenticate the new banknotes.

“Once we bring these banknotes, we will go ahead with the public education so that people can authenticate these banknotes,” he said.

Dr Owusu also used the opportunity to urge Ghanaians to handle the new banknotes with care once they are introduced.

He stressed that proper handling was important in maintaining the quality and durability of currency in circulation.

“The handling of the notes is very, very important, that people must handle the banknote with care,” he said.

According to Dr Owusu, the cedi should be treated as an important symbol of Ghana’s national identity and citizens have a responsibility to keep the currency clean and in good condition.

“It is our national pride. It represents us as a nation, apart from our national flag, so we must keep it clean and handle it with care,” he said.

The Heritage Series is being introduced as part of the Bank of Ghana’s efforts to modernise the country’s currency, with the new banknotes expected to feature enhanced security and durability characteristics.

The Bank of Ghana has also clarified that the introduction of the Heritage Series will not result in the creation of a higher denomination. The existing denomination structure will therefore be maintained, with no banknote above GH¢200 being introduced as part of the series.

The central bank's planned education campaign will be particularly important during the transition period, as members of the public, businesses and financial institutions become accustomed to the appearance and security features of the new notes.