The Registrar General's Department has declared 80% of Islamic marriages null and void.

This is due to the refusal of spouses to register under the registrar General's Department as demanded by law.

Head of marriages at the Registrar General’s Department, Oladele Kwaku Aribike made this known at a dialogue organized by civic society organisation, Telling Ghana, on the theme "Working together for a better Society".

Mr Aribike said “The bridegroom, the bride, two witnesses to the marriage and the Mohammadan priest licensed under section 31 shall before the expiration of one week after the celebration of the marriage attend at the office of the district assembly for the purpose of registering the marriage. This means the marriage should be registered within one-week of the celebration of the marriage if it is not registered within one week, that marriage is null and void. And on this, I will like to say on authority that almost 80 per cent of Islamic marriages are not valid.”

MP for Asewase, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak underscored the need for extensive stakeholder consultation to help the process.

Speaking on behalf of Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu said, the Muslim Marriage and divorce bill when passed will help resolve most divorce cases.