In-laws do not have the right to dissolve ordinance marriages, Mr. Francis Bennett Adams, Registrar of Marriage at the Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has said.
He therefore advised in-laws to stop interfering in the marriages of their children, saying, “yours is to pray for the couples to see the marriage work rather than siding with one party in the case of complaints and problems and then fight for divorce”.
Mr. Adams, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said only the courts had the power to dissolve marriages under ordinance, not family members.
The Registrar of Marriage also pointed out that the law also made provision for customary marriages (marriage conducted among families) to be registered, adding, “registering customary marriages is as binding as the ordinance marriage”.
Mr Adams said the Sekondi -Takoradi Municipal Assembly (STMA) recorded 1,808 celebrated marriages, out of that 750 were conducted by the Assembly and the remaining celebrated at the various churches in the Metropolis.
He said it cost between GHC 130.00 and GHC180.00 for the registration of marriages.
Mr. Adams said couples who wish to marry before the stipulated 21 day notice period had to obtain special license from the Registrar General’s Department for such marriages to be legally conducted and recognized.
The Registrar of Marriage called on would-be couples to properly study themselves before committing to each other, adding, “Marriage is a lifelong journey and there should not be any regrets afterwards”.
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