Upper East Faces Birth Registration Shortfall
From January to June 2025, 7,560 children born in Ghana’s Upper East Region remain unregistered, despite the Ghana Health Service recording 20,412 births. The Births and Deaths Registry, registering only 12,852 (36.9%), faces a significant shortfall, as noted by Registrar Samuel Adom Botchway during a regional visit.
Botchway, alarmed by the gap in hospital births, emphasized free registration for children up to 12 years old and urged parents to comply, aligning with President Mahama’s goal of universal registration by 2028. He highlighted that death registration is also low at 15%, with unregistered rural burials violating legal requirements.
Logistical challenges, including insufficient transport, hinder district-level operations, according to Regional Registrar John Yalmon Badengbanoya. He pledged to address the shortfall by September, but called for government support to enhance resources, critical for the region’s 1.1 million population.
Botchway addressed concerns from Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga about age manipulation, assuring that strict documentation requirements prevent unauthorized changes. The registry is collaborating with the Ministry of Local Government to revise the Births and Deaths Act for better compliance.
The minister committed to supporting the under-resourced registry to meet its mandate. The shortfall, affecting 37% of births, underscores the need for improved infrastructure to ensure accurate vital statistics for Ghana’s planning and development.