TheCable

The federal government has introduced new marriage certificates and has advised couples who do not have their certificates issued by the ministry should visit the ministry’s website to re-certify them.

Georgina Ehuriah, permanent secretary of the ministry of interior, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ conference on the conduct of statutory marriage in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Ehuriah urged intending couples to be careful when planning the platform to conduct their marriage because not all places of worship have licenses to conduct marriages.

She said Nigerians should conduct marriages in places licensed by the ministry of interior in order to get registered in the national database of legally certified marriages and avoid a breach of the marriage act.

“This is for the marriage to be credible and registered in the National database of legally certified marriages,” she said.

“If the certificate is not printed and delivered by the principal registrar of marriages, then it is illegal and can not serve the desired purpose.

“Arrangements are ongoing for couples whose certificates were not issued in line with the Marriage Act of opportunity to bring them to conformity.

“Presently, only about 4,689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior; 314 have renewed their licenses to conduct statutory marriages.

“It (ministry of interior) has also developed a database for all places of worship licensed for celebration of marriages. This will enable the ministry to be in a good position to respond to inquiries from various interested parties from within and outside Nigeria.

“Administrators of places of worship are encouraged to meet the requirements to satisfy their members.”

Ehuriah said the ministry of interior is working with the ministry of foreign affairs to ensure that the new certificates are recognised by foreign embassies in Nigeria and Nigerian missions aboard.