Minister of State at the Ministry for Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development (MLGDRD), OB. Amoah, has underscored the significance of birth and death certificates as foundational documents for identity management and data collation.
He emphasized the pivotal role of civil registration in national policy drafting and development, providing a framework for documentation and certification of vital events.
This process, he said, safeguards the rights and entitlements of citizens and promotes inclusive policies and effective governance.
He was addressing a training workshop focused on document fraud held at the Institute of Local Government Studies Conference Room on Thursday, July 19, 2023,
The workshop aimed to equip staff of the Births and Deaths Registry with essential skills to enhance the integrity of the registration process.
“We recognize the crucial role civil registration plays in our country’s development. Births and Deaths Registry, under the Ministry, has been instrumental in overseeing the registration and documentation of vital life events in Ghana,” he stated, acknowledging the Registry’s significant contributions over the years.
Mr. O.B. Amoah applauded the Births and Deaths Registry for its continuous efforts in improving the quality and security features of birth and death certificates, especially the certified copies.
He also commended the Ministry’s support in utilizing decentralized structures across 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to involve the community in the birth and death registration process.
Mr. Amoah expressed gratitude for the support received from international partners, including the World Bank, Netherlands and Norwegian Embassies, and Canadian High Commission, for enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the Registry.
Embracing digital technology has been a priority for the Registry, and Minister O.B. Amoah revealed that six million manual records have been digitized, with an additional ten million scanned out of a total of thirty-five million.
The introduction of online payment services through the ghana.gov.gh platform has further streamlined processes, and the Registry is poised to launch its official website by the end of August 2023, further enhancing services to the public and stakeholders.
O.B. Amoah expressed optimism that the training workshop would empower Births and Deaths Registry staff to identify and verify the validity and authenticity of birth and death certificates.
The training program is scheduled to run from August 2023 to December 2023, with the Ministry committed to sustaining and expanding the gains of such partnerships to strengthen civil registration in Ghana.