Acting Registrar Samuel Adom Botchway Vows to Enforce New, Affordable Tiered Fee Structure to Guarantee Universal Legal Identity.
In a move set to overhaul the decades-long struggle over acquiring a legal identity, the Acting Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), Mr. Samuel Adom Botchway, has publicly committed to enforcing a strict, government-capped fee structure for birth certificates. The landmark promise directly addresses the public outcry over exorbitant, unofficial charges that have historically locked out millions of vulnerable Ghanaians from obtaining their foundational legal document. Mr. Botchway’s stance signals a decisive administrative and policy shift, declaring that the total cost of acquiring a birth certificate will not exceed ₵30.
The issue of the birth certificate has transcended mere administrative paperwork to become a major social justice concern. While the registration of a newborn within the first twelve months has always been legislatively free, the bureaucracy and fees associated with late registration—the most common scenario for older children and adults—have created an unregulated market ripe for exploitation. Unofficial fees, “fast-track” charges, and the compulsory cost of ancillary documents, such as sworn affidavits, often push the final bill far beyond the means of the ordinary citizen, sometimes into the hundreds of Cedis.
Speaking on the urgent need for reform, Mr. Botchway outlined a clear, tiered structure that aims to restore public trust and ensure universal compliance with the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027). The proposed maximum fees are a direct challenge to the unofficial charges that thrive in the current system:
Registration Age Group
Proposed Maximum Fee
Official Fee Context (BDR FAQs)
Infant Registration (0–12 months)
Free
No Cost
Late Registration (1–5 years)
GH₵13
₵10 plus ₵20 penalty
Late Registration (5–59 years)
GH₵26
₵20 plus ₵20 penalty
Certified Copy/Search
GH₵30 (Maximum total cost)
₵5 for certified copy ₵10 for search
While the official BDR fees already appear low, the Acting Registrar’s ₵30 cap is a pledge to absorb the total administrative costs—including the search, certified copy, and late registration penalties—into a single, affordable, and transparent maximum payment. This move is designed to eliminate the notorious add-ons and back-door fees that frustrate applicants.
The Imperative of Legal Identity
A birth certificate is not just a piece of paper; it is the first right of every Ghanaian, a prerequisite for virtually all other civic engagements. Its absence creates a significant vulnerability for the individual and a critical blind spot for the state.
Without a valid birth certificate, citizens face:
Exclusion from Education: Difficulty in enrolling in public schools, especially at higher levels.
Access to Social Services: Challenges in securing the Ghana Card, passport, or accessing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a minor.
Vulnerability to Abuse: Heightened risk of child labor, trafficking, and early marriage due to the lack of legally verifiable age and identity.
Compromised National Planning: Inaccurate population data for national development planning, resource allocation, and policy formulation, as emphasized by Mr. Botchway during recent regional tours aimed at improving registration coverage.
The Registrar’s stated commitment is to simplify the process and decentralize registration, building on the Registry’s current efforts to leverage health facilities and community registers. By making the cost negligible, the BDR aims to tackle the financial bottleneck identified in various national analyses as one of the chief impediments to achieving universal birth registration coverage.
Beyond the Fee: A Digital and Trust Revolution
The commitment to a fee cap is paired with a broader agenda for reform within the BDR. Mr. Botchway has previously highlighted the importance of a robust, digitized system that prevents multiple registrations and ensures the credibility of Ghanaian birth certificates—a critical step in eliminating the widespread rejection of Ghanaian documents by foreign embassies. The ongoing efforts include a push for improved office infrastructure across all 16 regions and a focus on training staff to uphold ethical standards.
The GH₵30 pledge, therefore, is more than a price reduction; it is the cornerstone of a comprehensive plan to transform the BDR into a credible, efficient, and citizen-friendly institution. By prioritizing affordability, transparency, and accessibility, the BDR leadership is making a powerful statement: that no Ghanaian should ever be denied their fundamental identity due to poverty or bureaucratic red tape. This news marks a significant victory for pro-poor advocacy and a promising step toward achieving full and inclusive civil registration in Ghana. The Acting Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry, Samuel Adom Botchway, has clarified that individuals who lose their birth certificates do not need to undergo a fresh registration process to obtain a replacement in this video. Birth and Death Registry does not register Ghanaians born outside the country
This commitment is crucial for families in rural and peri-urban areas where the travel and time costs alone often deter parents from reporting births after the initial 12-month window. By setting a ceiling on the financial requirement, Mr. Botchway aims to dismantle the incentive for local BDR staff and middlemen to impose unauthorized charges, a practice widely reported to be the single biggest obstacle to achieving 100% birth registration. The Registry is now deploying new internal monitoring mechanisms and public awareness campaigns to ensure staff adherence to the 30 Ghana Cedis maximum, promising swift disciplinary action against any official found subverting the new directive. The success of this policy will depend heavily on robust enforcement.
