Ghana Act or statute

Parliament of Ghana

Fines(Penalty Units)Act,2000(Act 572)

finesmonetary valuespenaltiespenalty units

Jurisdiction: Ghana
Structure: 10 provisions
Citation: Act 572
Dates: Undated source snapshot

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Purpose and legislative effect

“If an enactment sets a fine for contravening a provision, the fine must be stated as a number of penalty units.”

If an enactment sets a fine for contravening a provision, the fine must be stated as a number of penalty units. One penalty unit equals the cedi amount set out in Schedule 1, and the Attorney-General may amend that schedule by legislative instrument subject to a cap. This section replaces certain fines in existing enactments with penalty-unit amounts. This section defines “existing enactment” and “fine” for this Act, unless the context requires otherwise. This section repeals the Penalties (Specified Fines) (Amendment) Law, 1991.

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Fines to be expressed as penalty units

If an enactment sets a fine for contravening a provision, the fine must be stated as a number of penalty units.

Section 1

Fines in existing enactments conversion to penalty units

This section replaces certain fines in existing enactments with penalty-unit amounts.

Section 3

Fines to be expressed as penalty units

If a fine is imposed under an enactment for a contravention, the fine must be stated in penalty units.

Section 1

Fines in existing enactments conversion to penalty units

Some fines in existing enactments are converted from cedis amounts into penalty units, with exceptions for newer or amended enactments.

Section 3

Section 5

This section repeals the Penalties (Specified Fines) (Amendment) Law, 1991, and sets one penalty unit at ¢20,000.00.

Section 5

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Showing 10 of 10 provisions

Offence 2Amendment 2Substitution 2Interpretation 2

§ 1Fines to be expressed as penalty unitsOffence

If an enactment sets a fine for contravening a provision, the fine must be stated as a number of penalty units.

Section 1—Fines to be Expressed as Penalty Units. Where in any enactment provision is made for the imposition of a fine as a penalty for the contravention of any provision in the enactment, the amount of the fine shall be expressed in terms of a number of penalty units.

Section 1Verify source

§ 2Pecuniary value of a penalty unitAmendment

One penalty unit equals the cedi amount set out in Schedule 1, and the Attorney-General may amend that schedule by legislative instrument subject to a cap.

Section 2—Pecuniary Value of a Penalty Unit. (1) For the purposes of this Act one penalty unit is equal to the amount of cedis specified in Schedule 1 to this Act. (2) The Attorney-General may by legislative instrument amend Schedule 1 to this Act except that the value of one penalty unit shall not exceed a sum equivalent to one third of the prevailing national daily minimum wage multiplied by thirty.

Section 2Verify source

§ 3Fines in existing enactments conversion to penalty unitsSubstitution

This section replaces certain fines in existing enactments with penalty-unit amounts.

Section 3—Fines in Existing Enactments conversion to Penalty Units. (1) Subject to subsection (2) where in any existing enactment (a) provision is made for the imposition of an amount of cedis as a fine or penalty for the contravention of any provision in the enactment; and (b) the existing fine is of an amount specified in column 1 of Schedule 2 to this Act there shall be substituted for the fine the new maximum fine specified in relation to it in column 2 of Schedule 2 and the new fine shall be expressed and read as the number of penalty units corresponding provided in column 3 of the Schedule. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to— (a) any existing enactment which came into force on or after 1st January 1997; or (b) any fines in any existing enactment amended since 1st January 1997. (3) Where any existing enactment to which subsection (1) would have applied, but for the exclusion in subsection (2) has a provision of an amount of fine expressed in currency, the amount shall upon the coming into force of this Act be read and construed as calculated in terms of the equivalent of a number of penalty units based on the value of one penalty unit as specified in Schedule 1.

Section 3Verify source

§ 4InterpretationInterpretation

This section defines “existing enactment” and “fine” for this Act, unless the context requires otherwise.

Section 4—Interpretation. In this Act unless the context otherwise requires— “existing enactment” means an enactment in force immediately before the coming into force of this Act; “fine” means any pecuniary penalty to which a person may be liable for breach of a provision in an enactment.

Section 4Verify source

§ 5Section 5Repeal

This section repeals the Penalties (Specified Fines) (Amendment) Law, 1991.

Section 5—Repeal. The Penalties (Specified Fines) (Amendment) Law, 1991 (P.N.D.C.L.251) is repealed. SCHEDULE 1 Section 2(1) One penalty unit is equal to ¢20,000.00. SCHEDULE 2 Section 3(1) Existing maximum fines New maximum fines Equivalent number of penalty units 1. ¢2,000.00 ¢20,000.00 1 penalty unit 2. ¢5,000.00 ¢50,000.00 2.5 penalty units 3. ¢10,000.00 ¢100,000.00 5 penalty units 4. ¢20,000.00 ¢200,000.00 10 penalty units 5. ¢50,000.00 ¢500,000.00 25 penalty units 6. ¢100,000.00 ¢1 million 50 penalty units 7. ¢400,000.00 ¢4 million 200 penalty units 8. ¢500,000.00 ¢5 million 250 penalty units 9. ¢1 million ¢10 million 500 penalty units 10. ¢2 million ¢20 million 1,000 penalty units Date of Gazette Notification: 11th February, 2000. FINES (PENALTY UNITS) ACT, 2000 (ACT 572) [As repealed by Interpretation Act, 2009 (Act 792), s. 52 (c)] Section 1. Fines to be expressed as penalty units 2. Pecuniary value of a penalty unit 3. Fines in existing enactments conversion to penalty units 4. Interpretation 5. Repeal SCHEDULES Schedule 1 Schedule 2 FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-TWO ACT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA ENTITLED THE FINES (PENALTY UNITS) ACT, 2000 AN ACT to provide for fines in enactments to be expressed in terms of penalty units; to provide for the amounts of fines in existing enactments to be converted into penalty units and to provide for connected matters. DATE OF ASSENT: 2nd February, 2000. BE IT ENACTED by Parliament as follows

Section 5Verify source

§ 1Fines to be expressed as penalty unitsOffence

If a fine is imposed under an enactment for a contravention, the fine must be stated in penalty units.

Section 1Verify source

§ 2Pecuniary value of a penalty unitAmendment

One penalty unit equals the cedi amount in Schedule 1, and the Attorney-General may amend Schedule 1 by legislative instrument within a stated cap.

Section 2Verify source

§ 3Fines in existing enactments conversion to penalty unitsSubstitution

Some fines in existing enactments are converted from cedis amounts into penalty units, with exceptions for newer or amended enactments.

Section 3Verify source

§ 4InterpretationInterpretation

This section defines “existing enactment” and “fine” for the Act, unless the context requires a different meaning.

Section 4Verify source

§ 5Section 5Repeal

This section repeals the Penalties (Specified Fines) (Amendment) Law, 1991, and sets one penalty unit at ¢20,000.00.

Section 5Verify source

Legislative relationships

3 referenced instruments

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N–S

3 instruments

Schedule 1 to this Act
Section 2
Schedule 2 to this Act
Section 3
SCHEDULES Schedule 1 Schedule 2 FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-TWO ACT
Section 5

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