The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako has launched a scathing attack on the Registrar of Births and Deaths over a new directive which bans the registration of some local names.
According to him, the directive from the registry indicates that the Registrar has failed to think and act in accordance with the laws of the land.
The announcement of the ban on the registration of certain local names such as “Maame,” “Pappa,” “Nana,” “Naa,” “Junior,” “Nene,” “Nii” and “Ohemaa” as they are not permissible under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1965 (Act 301), triggered outrage among the public with many criticizing the move describing it as unnecessary and unlawful as it is discriminatory against our ideals as Ghanaians.
The seriousness of the matter led to Parliament summoning the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama and the management of the Births and Deaths Registry over the supposed ban.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, questioned the legality of that move on Friday calling on the Speaker to summon the minister and officials of the state-agency before the House for questioning.
“I’m raising this so that this house will summon the Minister of Local Government and the management of the Births and Deaths Registry to explain to this house where their source of power is that they can say our president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s name [cannot be registered]. Mr Speaker, even in this house, there are many Nanas and Niis. It means when I give birth, someone sitting somewhere wants to determine what name I should give to my son and daughter. If I decide he should be a Haruna Junior he should be Haruna Junior…”
Civil Society Organization, OccupyGhana on Friday issued a 30-day ultimatum for the Birth and Death Registry to reconsider its decision on the alleged policy or face a civil action.
Commenting on the matter on Joy FM’s News File show Saturday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako supported any action that will see the ban being reversed, adding that the registrar needed to be reminded that Public servants are paid to think and to act according to law.
“Perhaps we need to remind the gentleman or the head of that institution that we pay public servants to think and to act in accordance with the law. We pay people to think, it reminds me of my good friend Dr Kumbuor, I heard him say in this country we pay people to talk and not to think. That is all I’ll say. They should send this message to the gentleman, that we pay public servants to think and to act in accordance with the law, no further comments.”
