Ghana has launched Marrify, a digital platform that allows users to search and verify registered marriage and divorce records.
Launched in Accra on 28 August by Marry Right Ghana Ltd in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Marrify also allows users to verify marriage officers, licensed venues, churches, pastors and imams.
The platform draws legal data from the Registrar-General's Department, courts, assemblies and the Ghana Gazette, creating a searchable digital registry intended to improve transparency and access to marriage information.
The platform also provides tools for government agencies, churches and courts, alongside an artificial intelligence assistant providing information on Ghanaian marriage law.
Marrify comes as Ghana's marriage-registration system continues to rely on formal processes involving registrars and licensed marriage officers.
The Registrar-General's Department requires couples seeking marriage under the ordinance to give notice to the marriage registrar and complete the prescribed documentation before the marriage is solemnised.
The department says its mission includes providing efficient administration, customer-friendly services and accurate data, while Marrify aims to make registered information more accessible outside registry offices.
However, the platform's usefulness depends on the completeness and accuracy of the records available to it. Ghana recognises different forms of marriage, including ordinance, customary and Islamic marriages, which are subject to different registration arrangements.
This means an absence of a record in Marrify should not necessarily be interpreted as proof that a person has never been married.
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, minister for gender, children and social protection, said the initiative addresses the need for reliable information before people enter into marriage.
“The effectiveness of such a platform will ultimately depend on public confidence in the information it provides and the cooperation of institutions responsible for marriage registration,” said Lartey.
The comment points to a broader challenge for Marrify: maintaining accurate and complete records as information is consolidated from government registries, courts and local authorities.
Marrify's longer-term value will therefore depend not only on its search technology but also on the quality, coverage and regular updating of the records underpinning the platform.
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