Muslims urged to register their deaths before burial

Tema, Jan. 13, GNA - Madam Hanna Twumasi-Ankrah, Tema Metropolitan Director of Births and Deaths Registry has urged the public especially Muslims to register the death of their relatives before burying the corpses. Muslims in accordance with their religious practices bury the dead on the day of the demise or a day after.

The Metropolitan Director gave the advice on Wednesday in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema.

Madam Twumasi-Ankrah noted that some Muslims did not fulfil the requirements of registering the dead before burial adding, however, that the situation was improving because of intensive education being organised by the Registry in various mosques.

She indicated that there was no excuse for failing to comply with the registration regulations as registering of deaths was instant and free of charge during the first seven days of the departure. The Births and Deaths' Director added that registration of births within one year of delivery was also free.

Madam Twumasi-Ankrah entreated the public to see the registration of births and deaths as a civic responsibility, which would benefit not only the state but also citizenry.

Recounting some of the benefits of registration, she said it provided policy makers with accurate and reliable demographic figures, which when analysed, helped in the formulation of good policies and the provision of facilities. She further explained that data obtained from death registration helped in the determination of the cause of deaths and age group of people, who died in a particular year and geographical area. To the bereaved family, she said, registration of the death of a relative provided people with death certificates, which are used to claim the deceased's benefits from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the banks, insurance companies and even from the employers. Madam Twumasi-Ankrah mentioned the use of birth certificates in acquiring passport as well as its use for school admissions as some of the personal benefits of birth registration. She said registering of births and deaths long after its occurrence affected the accuracy of the Registry's data as figures obtained did not reflect the actual happenings in a particular year.