Ghana has launched a digital platform that allows members of the public to verify marriage and divorce records and check the credentials of marriage officers, venues and licensed 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 operates as a searchable marriage and divorce registry, covering records of 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 features a register of marriage officers authorised to conduct civil or ordinance marriages. Users can equally search for 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 officiants before proceeding with marriage arrangements.
She stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, noting that individuals should not rely solely on verbal assurances when making decisions about marriage.
The minister also encouraged Marry Right Ghana to collaborate with government agencies, religious organisations, traditional authorities and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that information on the platform remains accurate and regularly updated.
Marrify also contains divorce records based on court rulings and judgments, with some records linked to the corresponding marriages.
However, the platform cautions users that its database is still being populated. As a result, a search that produces no result should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that an individual has never been married.
The platform further allows individuals and institutions to submit marriage and divorce records, along with supporting documents, for verification.
The initiative is expected to make it easier for Ghanaians to access reliable information about marital records and help reduce cases involving fraudulent marriages, unlicensed officiants and misleading claims about marital status.
