The Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) has successfully organized a two-day national validation workshop to finalize Ghana’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Strategic Plan for the period 2025–2030. Held from July 31st to August 1st at Royal Lee’s Hotel in Aburi, the event brought together stakeholders from across government agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations to ensure the strategic plan reflects national priorities and stakeholder input.
The workshop aimed to review and finalize the draft CRVS Strategic Plan, positioning Ghana to achieve universal and inclusive civil registration coverage. The plan, which builds on the successes and lessons of the 2016–2020 CRVS Strategy, aligns with Ghana’s Vision 2057 and global development frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
In her keynote address, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, emphasized the importance of a robust CRVS system, describing it as the foundation of legal identity and a key enabler of governance, human rights, and development.
"Civil registration and vital statistics go beyond recordkeeping. They are the gateway to legal identity and an essential building block for access to education, healthcare, social protection, and other fundamental rights,” she noted.
The 2025–2030 Strategic Plan outlines key priorities such as modernizing CRVS infrastructure, expanding mobile registration, promoting data interoperability, and investing in public education campaigns. It also emphasizes strengthening legal frameworks and inter-agency coordination, especially with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Statistical Service, Judicial Service, Ghana Police Service, the Institute of Local Government Studies, and development partners like UNECA, UNICEF, and UNFPA.
The Deputy Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to CRVS reform and modernization, calling on stakeholders to contribute their expertise in finalizing a plan that is both ambitious and responsive to the needs of the Ghanaian people.
Source: Melody Hini-Amoako
(Public Relations Unit MLGCRA)