The feat was realised in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ghana Health Service (GHS), the National Identification Authority (NIA), and United National EconomicTURES Commission for Africa (UNECA) and with support technical and financial from UNICEF.

It comes on the back of the passage of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027) and the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 2021 (L.I. 2436).

This came to light at a workshop held in Ejisu, Ashanti Region, from the 22nd to the 24th of June 2023 to validate the comprehensive and resourceful document.

The workshop, supported by UNICEF, brought together stakeholders from various organisations, including the Ministry of Local Government Decentralization and Rural Development, the Office of the Head of Local Government Service, the Local Government institute, Ghana Immigration Service, the Passport Office, and all 16 Regional Registrars of the Births and Deaths Registry.

In an address, Madam Henrietta Lamptey, Registrar, BDR, said, the collaborative efforts and the valuable inputs from stakeholders had culminated in the development of an instruction manual that "serves as a comprehensive guide for birth and death registrations in Ghana."

It reflects the best practices and international standards in civil registration and vital statistics, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and data security.

"The new instruction manual offers several key benefits for both the registry and the citizens of Ghana. Firstly, it aligns the registration processes with the national identification system overseen by the NIA."

This integration fosters synergy between the two vital components of citizen identification and registration, streamlining administrative procedures and reducing duplication, she said.

According to her, the collaboration with the GHS enabled a seamless transfer of birth and death records from health facilities to the registry. This integration ensures that vital events are promptly captured and recorded, creating a more efficient and reliable system of registration.

"The manual places a strong emphasis on data quality, privacy, and security, addressing the evolving technological landscape and the need for robust data protection measures.

By implementing stringent protocols, the Births and Deaths Registry aims to safeguard the personal information of individuals while providing accurate and reliable vital statistics.

The Registrar thanked all stakeholders and participants for their invaluable contributions.

"Together, we are forging a stronger and more inclusive civil registration system that will have far-reaching benefits for the people of Ghana.

As we move forward, we encourage all citizens to familiarize themselves with the new instruction manual and engage with the Births and Deaths Registry to ensure their vital events are accurately recorded.

By doing so, we can collectively strengthen our civil registration system, enhance data accuracy, and empower individuals with the necessary documentation to exercise their rights and access vital services.

The Births and Deaths Registry remains committed to upholding the highest standards of civil registration and vital statistics. We believe that this milestone will pave the way for an improved and more efficient system that will benefit all Ghanaians, Madam Lamptey pledged.