About – Births & Deaths Registry
Vital registration in Ghana (the Gold Coast) began as far back as 1888.However, at its inception, it was the registration of deaths. It was not until 1912 that the Registration of Births, Deaths and Burial Ordinance was introduced. The registration system has undergone a series of transformations just as the laws establishing it has seen a number of amendments. All aimed at improving the final delivery system.
Starting as the cemetery of ordinance of 1888. The law was first amended in 1891. In 1912, the Births, Deaths and Burial Ordinance was introduced but amended in 1926. In 1965, the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 301 of 1965 replaced the former as the legislative force for operation. In 2020, The Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1027 of 2020, was enacted to replace Act 301.
The Births and Deaths Registry currently operates on the legislative mandate of Act 1027 of 2020, within the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to handle and develop the births and deaths registration system in Ghana. Its core mandate is to provide accurate and reliable information on all births and deaths occurring within Ghana for socio-economic development of the country through their registration and certification
Vision
The vision of the Registry is to attain universal births and deaths registration in Ghana.
Mission
The Births and Deaths registry exists to provide accurate, reliable and timely information of all births and deaths occurring within Ghana for the Socio-economic development of the country through their registration and certification.
Functions
The vision of the Registry is to attain universal births and deaths registration in Ghana.
- Legalization of registered Births and Deaths
- Storage and management of births and deaths records/registers
- Issuance of Certified Copies of Entries in the Registers of Births and Deaths upon request.
- Effecting corrections and insertions in the Registers of Births and
Deaths upon request - Preparation of documents for exportation of remains of deceased persons
- Processing of documents for the exhumation and reburial of remains of persons already buried.
- Verification and authentication of births and deaths certificates for institutions, especially the foreign missions in Ghana.