Tell Birth and Death Registry that 'people are paid to think' – Kweku Baako

Kweku Baako Jnr is Editor-In-Chief of New Crusading Guide newspaper

The Registrar of the Death and Birth Registry should be told civil servants are paid to think and to act according to law, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako has said.

Mr Baako's message comes on the heels of a policy by the Birth and Death Registry that indigenous Ghanaian names such as “Maame, Papa, Nana, Junior, Nene, Nii, Ohemaa and others will not be registered.

The registry considers such names as titles.

Reacting to this policy on Joy News’ news analysis programme, News File, on Saturday, 27 January 2018, Mr Baako said: “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.”

Many Ghanaians have kicked against the new directive.

Pressure Group OccupyGhana has issued a notice to commence civil action against the state if the Registry does not rescind the decision.

Meanwhile, parliament has summoned the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama and the management of the Births and Deaths Registry, to explain why they have placed a ban on the registration of title names in the country.

Parliament wants to know the source of the Registry’s power to implement such a directive.