Births And Deaths Registry Resumes Certificate Printing

The Births and Deaths Registry has finally resumed the printing of official birth certificates after weeks of disruption, bringing relief to thousands of Ghanaians. The Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim, told Parliament that the much-needed specialised security paper has now been delivered, allowing the Registry to clear the huge backlog of pending applications.

For nearly two months, applicants across the country were left stranded as the registry ran out of the special paper used to print certified birth and death certificates. The shortage was attributed to delays in the procurement process.

The minister stated that the security paper which includes advanced features such as the Ghana Coat of Arms relief, thermochromic ink, anti-copy void protection, micro text lines, and watermarks is critical to ensuring the authenticity and integrity of these vital documents. Most of these security features are only visible under ultraviolet light.

Ahmed Ibrahim revealed that the acting registrar, upon assuming office in March 2025, flagged the risk of running out of stock. A formal request for new supplies was made to the Comptroller and Accountant General on 3 April 2025, with a follow-up on 15 April.

Despite initial challenges, the procurement process was eventually completed, and the first batch of security papers was supplied on 9 July 2025.

The Registry has since rolled out immediate measures to restore smooth operations:

Distributed the new papers to all regional offices nationwide.

Directed offices to prioritise processing all pending applications.

Instituted an early warning stock monitoring system to prevent future shortages.

Collaborated with the Comptroller and Accountant General’s Department to ensure earlier procurement in the future.

The minister assured the public that the government is fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted service delivery at the Births and Deaths Registry going forward.

The Ministry wishes to assure the public that appropriate measures have been instituted to restore uninterrupted service delivery, leading to improved efficiency and public satisfaction, he said.