Ghanaian authorities have arrested seven women in Accra as part of an intensified crackdown on the decorative use of banknotes, a practice the central bank says violates the country’s currency laws. The women are accused of creating ornamental bouquets and cakes from Ghana cedi notes, which have become popular gifts at weddings, birthdays, and graduation ceremonies.

The arrests occurred on Monday at multiple locations in the capital, following a directive from the Bank of Ghana aimed at curbing what it describes as the improper use of national currency. In a statement issued in July, the Bank of Ghana clarified that using physical currency for decorative purposes contravenes the Currency Act. It warned that such violations could result in fines or imprisonment.

Dinah Bonzi, head of the statistics office within the central bank’s Currency Management Department, emphasized the seriousness of the issue. She stated that the practice constitutes misuse of legal tender and that anyone found engaging in it would face legal consequences. “We need to respect the Ghana cedi as a legal tender,” Bonzi said.

The enforcement action has raised concerns among some small business owners who rely on the production of money bouquets for their livelihood. One artisan, speaking under the pseudonym Sandra Smith, said she has sold these decorative items at university graduations for five years. Smith appealed for leniency, arguing that the bouquets add special significance to celebrations and that recipients typically remove the notes to use them as intended.

The central bank has previously issued warnings against other forms of currency misuse, including spraying banknotes at events, stepping on currency, and defacing or altering notes. The Bank of Ghana maintains that it will continue enforcing laws to preserve the integrity of the national currency.