The Registrar of Companies, Jemima Oware, has revealed that most marriages in the country are not legally recognized.
During a media engagement on June 25, 2024, in Accra, Mrs Oware stressed that marriages conducted in gardens or hotels without a licensed official are not valid in the eyes of the law.
She also added that unrecognised marriages are on the rise due to spouses failing to comply with the legal requirement to register their marriages with the Department.
“The ordinance marriage is very strict. The premises have 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,” Oware said.
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According to her, to act as marriage officers, all religious ministers must be gazetted by the Registrar General, following approval from the Minister of Justice.
The Registrar also advised those in invalid marriages to visit the Registrar General’s Department to obtain a special license to rectify their situation.
