Issuance of new birth certificates resumes in Volta Region

Volta Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa says the issuance of birth certificates to Ghanaians in the region has resumed almost a month after it was suspended by the government without reasons.

According to the minister, the suspension was borne out of claims that birth certificates were being issued to the “wrong people” in the Volta Region.

A four-paragraph letter dated June 19, 2018 from the Local Government Ministry directed the Regional Director of the Birth and Death Registry Richard Womega “ensure that all birth registrations and issuance of birth certificates cease with immediate effect”

It also asked Mr Womega to report to the Ministry the same day for reposting

Consequent to directive the minority MPs in parliament held a news conference at which they accused the government of deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the people of the region as part of its bid to rig the 2020 general elections.

According to the MPs the decision to suspend issuance of new birth certificates were to deprived some Voltarians the opportunity to register for the ongoing national identification card, the Ghana Card, which requires birth certificate.

But speaking on Onua FM’s Yen Nsempa on Friday, Dr. Letsa justified the suspension and told host of the show, Bright Kwasi Asempa, “they [birth certificates] were being issued to non-Ghanaians that why we ceased”.

“There were some issues that came to my attention that birth certificates were issued to some wrong people, so we did some investigations and we told them to hold on”, he explained.



Dr. Letsa said “after the investigations were done, we asked them to go on so as we are speaking, it is going on because the directives lasted for few days… normal issuance of birth certificate has resumed. As I speak to you now, birth certificates are being issued in Volta Region”.

He explained that the situation has been rectified hence the decision to resume the registration of new birth and issuance of birth certificates.

“They were being issued to non-Ghanaians and steps have been taken so that error will not occur again,” he said.

He said Mr. Womega “has been transferred” because he was the boss of the region and ought to have ensured the right thing was done.