The Registrar of Companies, Jemima Oware, has disclosed that a new software is under development to document all marriages in Ghana. 

She explained that this will introduce specific requirements for valid ordinance marriages noting that many people are unaware of.

Mrs Oware also pointed out that churches are required to be licensed to register marriages, but currently many are not compliant.

Speaking on the JoyNews AM show, the Registrar of Companies stated that “most churches have to be licensed to register marriage, and they are not. The men of God have to be gazetted as marriage officers, many of them are not. You need one type of license, either a registrar certificate, which is normally issued by the metropolitan assemblies, or the special license, which the Registrar General's Department issues or the church. The church has forms they are supposed to complete to issue a license known as the marriage officer license, but unfortunately, they do not.”

Mrs. Oware noted that marriages are often conducted in gardens or hotels, observing that these venues lack the necessary licenses, thereby invalidating the marriage.

She highlighted that many marriages are invalidated because ordinance marriage regulations require the premises to be licensed.

“Sometimes, let's say the main church is licensed, and they think that the branches therefore can take the legality from the main church. No. Even the branches have to be licensed. So, if your main church is licensed for marriages and the branch is not licensed, that marriage is void."