Ghana Unveils Digital Platform to Verify Marital Status, Officials

The Republic of Ghana has introduced a new digital service designed to enable citizens to confirm marriage and divorce particulars, alongside scrutinizing marriage officiants, approved locations, and certified Islamic clerics. This development was reported by YEN on Friday.

Dubbed 'Marrify,' the platform officially commenced operations in Accra on August 28th. Its creation is a collaborative effort between Marry Right Ghana Limited and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Marrify functions as a comprehensive, searchable database for marriage and divorce registrations, encompassing ordinance, customary, and Islamic matrimonial unions. Individuals can conduct searches on the platform using various criteria such as personal names, names of spouses, towns, specific churches, religious denominations, certificate numbers, and Gazette identification numbers.

Additionally, the system features a directory of authorized marriage officers designated to solemnize civil or ordinance weddings. Users also have the capability to locate licensed marriage venues and accredited Imams. Information integrated into Marrify originates from reputable sources including the Registrar-General’s Department, various courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and the official Ghana Gazette.

During the launch event, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who serves as the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, advised future couples to diligently verify details concerning their prospective partners, chosen wedding locations, and the individuals presiding over their ceremonies. She stated, “It serves as a crucial reminder to maintain the utmost standards of integrity and accountability. Even in the most trusted relationships, you will no longer need to rely solely on someone's word; verification is now possible with this application. Furthermore, when deciding on the venue, the officiant, the location of the ceremony, and critically, the marital status of your intended spouse – these are pivotal considerations that require careful thought, verification, and certainty before proceeding. Our ministry has actively utilized its platform to champion this application and collaborate with our stakeholders and potential users. This is to ensure that Ghanaians remain informed, preventing situations where years of investment and resources might ultimately prove fruitless.”

Dr. Lartey further implored Marry Right Ghana to collaborate closely with governmental bodies, religious organizations, traditional leaders, and other relevant parties to guarantee the continuous accuracy and timely updates of all information contained within the platform.

In addition to marriage data, Marrify also hosts divorce records derived from judicial rulings and judgments, with certain entries directly cross-referenced to their corresponding marriage registrations. Nevertheless, the platform includes a disclaimer, noting that data upload is an ongoing process. Therefore, users are advised that a search yielding no results should not be automatically construed as definitive proof that an individual has never been married.

The system also facilitates the submission of marriage and divorce records, accompanied by supporting documentation, by both individuals and institutions for verification purposes.