Federal Government To Set Up Marriage Registries In All States
The Federal Government has said that it would establish marriage registries across in all the 36 state capitals in the country.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Barr. Georgina Ehuriah disclosed this on Thursday in Port Harcourt, River State, during a sensitisation conference on the conduct of statutory marriages in Nigeria.
She said the aim of setting up of such marriage registries was to ensure uniformity in the conduct of statutory marriages. Ehuriah also stated that plans were underway to establish federal marriage registries in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Umuahia, Abia State, to address the challenges facing couples in the South-South Zone.
A statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mohammed Manga, quoted Ehuriah as saying,
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”In its efforts at ensuring uniformity in the conduct of statutory marriages, the Federal Government has declared its intention to set up marriage registries in all the 36 state capitals in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, River State, while declaring open a one-day sensitisation conference on the conduct of statutory marriages in Nigeria with the theme, ‘Achieving Harmonious Compliance in the Conduct of Statutory Marriage in Nigeria.’
The ministry is presently considering some of the recommendations made by stakeholders in the course of the conference like extending the validity period for licences issued to places of worship for the celebration of marriages, as well as downward review of the fees payable by couples for conduct of statutory marriages in federal marriage registries.
Machinery has also been put in place for the amendment of the Marriage Act to adequately meet the needs of the 21st century.”
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The Registrar General of Marriages in Nigeria disclosed further that arrangements were ongoing to give couples whose certificate were not issued in line with the act the opportunity to bring them to conformity.
According to her, the ministry is exploring the possibility of integrating the marriage registries operated by Local Governments into its online platform so as to bring them in conformity with the Marriage Act.
Source: PUNCH