The Registrar of Births and Deaths, Samuel Adom Botchway, has revealed that more than 1,000 birth certificates remain uncollected at the registry, some dating as far back as 2023.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Botchway said many applicants fail to return for their documents after applying, even though the certificates are ready for collection.
“In 2025 alone, we have over 1,000 uncollected certificates. We’ve even set up an office to call the applicants, but most of them give flimsy excuses,” he said. “Ironically, these are the same people who go around claiming they haven’t received their certificates.”
He noted that the backlog includes documents from 2024 and previous years and urged Ghanaians to take responsibility by checking with the registry once their application period has elapsed.
“We must all work together to solve some of these challenges. When people don’t collect their certificates, it adds unnecessary pressure on the system,” he explained.
Also, addressing concerns on name changes, Mr. Botchway clarified that applicants can request corrections or additions to names through a formal process.
“If you want to correct a name, we call it an alteration. But if it’s an addition, you’ll need to swear an affidavit,” he explained. “Once you bring the document to the registry, we take it to our records office to verify and facilitate the change.”
He reiterated the importance of following due process and ensuring all legal documents reflect accurate information.
“The registry’s mandate is to maintain credible national records, so we must all do our part to keep the system clean,” he added.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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