Ghana has introduced a new digital platform that allows members of the public to verify marriage and divorce records, as well as check the status of marriage officers, licensed venues and authorised Imams.
Known as Marrify, the platform was launched in Accra on August 28 by Marry Right Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Marrify functions as a searchable marriage and divorce registry, covering ordinance, customary and Islamic marriages.
Users can search the platform using information such as names, spouses’ names, towns, churches, denominations, certificate numbers and Gazette numbers.
The platform also provides access to a register of marriage officers authorised to conduct civil or ordinance marriages, while users can verify licensed marriage venues and Imams.
According to the organisers, Marrify’s records are sourced from institutions including the Registrar-General’s Department, courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, as well as the Ghana Gazette.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, urged prospective couples to verify information about their partners, marriage venues and officiating authorities before proceeding with marriage.
She said the platform would help promote integrity and accountability by allowing people to verify critical information rather than relying solely on claims made by prospective partners or other parties.
The minister also called on Marry Right Ghana to collaborate with government agencies, religious organisations, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that information on Marrify remains accurate and regularly updated.
Marrify also contains divorce records based on court rulings and judgments, with some divorce entries linked to the marriages to which they relate.
However, the platform warns that its database is still being populated. Therefore, a search that produces no result should not automatically be taken as evidence that an individual has never been married.
Individuals and institutions can also submit marriage and divorce records, alongside supporting documents, to the platform for verification.
The initiative is expected to make it easier for Ghanaians to conduct background checks on marital status and verify the legitimacy of marriage-related records before making important decisions.
