Accra: Betty Mould-Iddrisu, a Council of State member, has blamed government for the lack of commitment to ensure that Islamic marriages are legally and duly registered in the country.

She warned that the absence of a functioning framework has left many Islamic unions either void or voidable, depriving spouses, particularly women, of spousal rights and protections in matters of property redistribution and inheritance.

“As we speak, there is no system in place for the registration of Islamic marriages at the local assemblies. The Ministry of Interior has also failed to put in place any system for registering the Islamic Imams,” she said at the 2025 Marriage Governance Conference.

Speaking as the chairperson for the event, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice observed that many Muslim couples who wish to have their marriage registered are compelled to register Islamic unions as customary marriages instead.

She expressed the concern that in several districts, especially in Ghana’s five northern regions, most assemblies are not conducting ordinance marriages, further undermining marriage governance.

She has therefore called on the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to institute administrative steps to register imams and ensure Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) register Islamic and customary marriages.

She also pointed out the need for a comprehensive reform agenda, including law enforcement, digital inclusion in marriage registration, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration with civil society.

“The failure or refusal of our institutions to act has left too many families unprotected,” she said. “It must be rectified now.”