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Ghana: The "Certified Copy of Entry into Registry of Births" certificate; a description of its colour, size and seals; whether the format has changed since 2003; procedures for renewal or re-issuance; who is authorized to sign the Register of Births and Deaths and whether this varies from one region to another; security features (2003-2006)

Description

In its "Reciprocity Schedule" for Ghana, the United States (US) Department of State provides the following information:

The "Certified Copy of Entry in the Register of Births," also called "Certified True Copy of Entry in the Register of Birth," is provided to persons who request birth documentation at some time after the initial registration. This document, which is either white or pink, is approximately 6-1/2 inches by 18 inches and bears the raised seal of the Registrar of Births and Deaths for Ghana. Persons registered before March 1957 received a "Certificate of Registration of Birth" at the time of registration. This document is approximately 5 inches square and was issued by the Government of the Gold Coast Colony. It bears no raised seal. (8 June 2006)

The US Department of State also indicates that most Ghanaians do not register at birth and only do so when a birth certificate is needed for immigration purposes (8 June 2006). The Department of State also states that "[r]egistrations not made within one year of an individual's birth are not reliable evidence of relationship, since registration, including late registration, may often be accomplished upon demand, with little or no supporting documentation required" (8 June 2006).

An official from the Migration Integrity Team at the Canadian High Commission in Accra provided the following information in correspondence with the Research Directorate dated 26 July 2006.

The new version of a Certified Copy of Entry in Register of Births, in use in Ghana, was introduced on 02 July 1996. It measures approximately 19 [by] 32 cm. Particulars are written in boxes and these include: Entry No.; Name of District Registry; Child's name; Sex; Father's name; his occupation, nationality and religion; followed by Mother's maiden name and nationality; child's birth-date and place where born; informant and relationship to child; date of registration; signature of registrar; and registrar's coding which appears in the last box marked, "Margin".

...

The old version of a Certified Copy of Entry in Register of Births (referred to as "Long Form") also contained the same information as the new version, but the format was different. The old version has no micro-printing background, measures approximately 15 [by] 44 cm, and has no special control/security features. It has been in existence for over twenty years. Pre-printed letters: "L.S." [appeared underneath] the Registrar's signature, since January 1988. Before that date, they were placed on the left side of the Registrar's signature.

Renewal or re-issuance and authority for signature

The Official from the Migration Integrity Team at the Canadian High Commission in Accra also provided the following information to the Research Directorate:

Upon submission of a completed application form and payment of the prescribed fee at a Registrar's Office, a "Certified Copy" may be issued for duplication of an earlier registration of birth, or to document late registration, mostly for adults (on the basis of unverifiable affidavits).

Where a register is still in use, the local Registrar completes the "Certified Copy", signs it, and forwards it to the National Registrar/Registrar-General who certifies the District Registrar's signature as true. In this case, the "Certified Copy" bears two signatures – the local Registrar's signature as well as that of the National Registrar. The details may be handwritten or typewritten.

When a local register is full, it is forwarded to the Births and Deaths Archives, in Accra.

The National Head Office may also issue a "Certified Copy" based on information in an archived register. A "Certified Copy" so issued bears only one signature – the signature of the Registrar-General, or his deputy. The information on this form is always typewritten! (26 July 2006)

According to Ghana's Assistant Registrar of the Birth and Death Registry, cited in a news article, Ghanaians who lose their certificates can obtain a certified copy by applying at their nearest registration office (Accra Daily Mail 11 Oct. 2004). The Tema Municipal Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry indicated, in another article, that when one loses his or her birth certificate, the entry number and the date and place of birth are required to obtain a copy of a birth certificate (GNA 20 Feb. 2006).

Security features

The Official from the Migration Integrity Team at the Canadian High Commission in Accra indicated that

[t]he "Certified Copy" has a pinkish background with horizontal micro-printing of the words "Birth and Death Registry" in zig-zag columns across the entire document. With this background, it is easy to detect any erasers or alterations, which render the document invalid. The "Certified Copy" bears a seal/hologram in the upper left portion, in the box with the word: "FATHER". There are two types of seals. They look a perfect square with rounded corners. These seals are made of a special foil, which on application melts and becomes part of the form. Both seals change colour when tilted [at] small angles at a source of light. In addition, one of them has improved security features as it also displays variable optical letters when tilting the seal. As a security measure, the sealing-machine is located at the national headquarters in the Registrar's office, in Accra. All "Certified Copies" are printed by one printer, in Accra, and therefore the format is the same nationwide. The district offices receive their supplies from the National Head Office in batches according to their needs. (26 July 2006)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Accra Daily Mail. 11 October 2004. Kent Mensah. "Non-registry of Birth ... MPs too Guilty!" <http://www.accra-mail.com/mailnews.asp?ID=11408> [Accessed 13 July 2006]

Ghana News Agency (GNA). 20 February 2006. "Register Births and Deaths or ...." (Accra Daily Mail Web site) <http://www.accra-mail.com/mailnews.asp?ID=15597> [Accessed 13 July 2006]

Canada. 26 July 2006. High Commission in Accra, Ghana. Correspondence from a Migration Integrity Team official.

United States (US). 8 June 2006. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Ghana: Reciprocity Schedule." <http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/Country%20Folder/G/Ghana.htm> [Accessed 12 July 2006]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC did not have information on the subject. The Ghana High Commission in Ottawa did not provide information within the time constraints.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica; British Broadcasting Corporation; European Country of Origin Information Network; Factiva; Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC; Ghana High Commission in Ottawa; The Ghanaian Chronicle; Keesing's Document Checker; The Republic of Ghana.