The Western Regional Office of the Births and Deaths Registry has registered 1,076 deaths out of the expected deaths of 20,282 between January and August this year.
The low figure could be attributed to the lack of controlled cemeteries within the local authorities.
The Registry also recorded 28, 421 births against a target of 63, 918 for the same period.
Mr Augustine Tawiah, the Western Regional Registration Officer told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that vital registration of events such as births, deaths, marriages , divorce and annulment though started in 1888 , it became a public activity in 1912 when the first birth was recorded .
The births and deaths registry, established by an Act of Parliament aimed at becoming a progressive department to attain a universal births and deaths registration.
This would help to provide accurate, reliable and timely data for socio economic development.
Mr Tawiah said the Registry was undertaking outreach programmes, door to door and mobile registration, and Registration day celebration to get more people registered.
Meanwhile, the Act stipulated that “registration of births and deaths shall be registered in the District where it occurred and shall be done within a period of 10 days of the occurrence for free.’
The Regional Registration Officer said there was no discrimination in the registration with regard to children whether born out of wedlock.
Mr Tawiah said the Registry despite the lack of vehicles , funds, office space and service delivery points as well as the lack of electronic means to capture data, they would strive hard to provide accurate data for development planning.
GNA
