From Joseph Inokotong, Abuja
In a bid to bring the Federal Marriage Registry closer to the grassroots, the Federal Government has announced the establishment of 20 new marriage registries across the country, to ensure there is one in all the state capitals of the federation.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this at the National Stakeholders’ Conference on the Administration and Conduct of Statutory Marriage in Nigeria held in Abuja over the weekend.
The minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, stated that the conference was necessitated by the need for the ministry to inform stakeholders and enlighten the public about some new guidelines and important aspects about the administration and conduct of statutory marriage in the country, as well as the amended Legal Notices in the Marriage Act.
According to him, the amended legal notices has changed the dynamics of the administration and conduct of statutory marriages in Nigeria and has put to rest the lingering disagreement between the ministry and the Local Government Registrars of Marriage by designating the Local Government Areas and Area Development Councils of the Federal Capital Territory as marriage districts.