Marriage under the Ordinance 

Marriage under the ordinance is the civil union available to any Ghanaian to take advantage of, and despite some confusion, it is entirely secular and not religious (Christian) at all.

This is governed by Marriages Act (Cap 127) and is the only, strictly monogamous legal means of marriage in Ghana. Those intending to get married are required to give notice to the marriage registrar in the district where the marriage is going to occur. The registrar would then publish a notice of marriage and then issue a certificate after 21 days if no objection is raised.

The marriage certificate must then be presented to a licensed marriage officer, after which the couple must get married within three months or that certificate becomes null and void.

Christian marriages generally occur under the ordinance, which is what they sign at a point or another during the ceremony. Marrying another person whilst in a marriage under the ordinance constitutes the crime of bigamy.