Accra, Dec. 16, GNA - The Registrar General's Department (RGD), has registered 2,798 marriages under the Marriage Ordinance, this year. Last year, 3,032 marriages were registered, a tremendous rise ever recorded by the Department since its establishment.

Ms Josephine Tsekpo, Public Relations Officer of the Department, who= disclosed these to GNA in Accra on Tuesday, said the figure for last year= was below 4,688 marriages registered between January 2007 and September 2008. She said that this year's decline in registration was mainly because=

many churches in the country had received accreditation to register marriages.

Ms Tsekpo said Accra Metropolitan Authority also registered and celebrated matrimonies on Saturdays, when couples contracted marriages. Mr. J. Akufo Kissiedu, Chief Personnel and Marriage Officer of the Department, said marriages contracted under the Ordinance was more secure= d and recognized. He explained that marriages registered at the Department involved couples who, though were married for many years under the customary law wanted to legalize their marriage as well as would-be-couples whose ages ranged from 18 and above and who sought civil marriages.

Mr Kissiedu said marriage ceremonies were officiated at the Marriage Hall of the Department in Accra, from Monday to Friday between 0800 hours and 1700 hours.

On the issuance of Special Licences to couples under emergency situations, he explained that "a declaration form may be obtained from the department witnessed by two representatives each from both families if marriage is to be celebrated within the Department."

Mr Kissiedu said GH¢40 was charged for Special Licences, five Ghana cedis as celebration fee with additional five Ghana cedis for the marriage certificate.