Official collusion: Nigerians, Ivorians and others get birth certificates for Ghana at a lower cost

General News of Monday, March 25, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-03-25

Joy News's investigations revealed that birth and death registry officials were illegally issuing birth certificates to foreigners to help them obtain a Ghanaian pbadport.

Ivorians, Cameroonians and Nigerians, who are the main beneficiaries of the criminal proceedings, pay as little as 150 ¢ to acquire the certified documents.

A birth certificate is a document that a person can present to badert his right to citizenship. According to UNICEF, without a birth certificate, no individual exists officially and therefore does not have legal access to the privileges and protections of a nation.

This means that if foreign nationals have Ghanaian birth certificates in their possession, this gives them permission to access health, education and social services made available to citizens.

In the latest documentary entitled "Paper Citizens", investigative journalist Kwetey Nartey uncovered sneaky transactions in the register of births and deaths, during which officials of the register of births and deaths collect these non-existent expenses. approved by the public.

Unfortunately, these sums are not found in the coffers of the state but in private pockets.

Birth should be registered free of charge. Late registration will incur a processing and penalty fee of 50 GH ¢. The particular research in the register of births and deaths is GH ¢ 5. But Charles, a tall young man dressed in a purple and loaded short-sleeved shirt, charges 100 GH ¢ for "a search for executives".

He accused the clandestine reporter of 150 additional GH ¢ for a new birth certificate and added that he would depend on his network in other district offices like Ledzokuku to do it for him. It charged more than 200% more than what the register prescribed.

Another staff member who called Emma charged 80 ¢ for birth certificates in cases where the applicants were born in other areas. The investigation team did not receive a receipt for this service despite several requests.

In 2004, the Financial Administration Regulation requires all revenue-generating heads of government to charge a fee for services rendered. The 2016 Auditor General's Report, released last year, indicated that the Registrar of the Birth and Death Registry in Suhum was charging an unapproved fee.