Data from the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) indicates that 1,978 marriages were registered internally in 2023, with January recording the highest number of 214 nuptials.
February recorded about 185 registered marriages, while March recorded 176, April, 154, May, 151, and June, 181.
In July 2023, the data indicated that 134 marriages were registered internally, while 187 were registered in August.
The department’s lowest number of recorded marriages was 105 in September, followed by 166 in October, 155 in November, and 170 in December.
Statistics also available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that external marriages registered by the Office totaled 130, with January again recording the highest figure of 29.
In February, 16 marriages were registered externally, 23 each in March, April and 14 in May.
The data indicated that seven marriages were registered in June, four in July, two in August and one in September. October recorded 21 marriages, November, three, and December, six.
Thus, the department registered 2,103 marriages in 2023.
Marriage Registration with the Department is an inexpensive, seamless, and swift process.
Marriage under the ordinance is a civil partnership that any Ghanaian can participate in, and despite some confusion, it is completely secular and non-religious.
It is governed by the Marriages Act (Cap 127) and is the only, strictly monogamous legal means of marriage in Ghana.
Those intending to get married must give notice to the Marriage Registrar in the district where the marriage will occur. The Registrar would then publish a notice of marriage and then issue a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised.
The marriage certificate must then be presented to a licensed marriage officer, after which the couple must get married within three months or that certificate becomes invalid.
Applicants may obtain the prescribed Declaration Form and complete it with the assistance of the Marriage Registrar.
Two witnesses are to be provided from each side of the couple if the marriage is to be celebrated at the Registrar General’s Department, and the marriage must be celebrated within 20 days from the start date.
