The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) recorded 695 marriages under Ordinance in 2019 as compared to 677 in 2018.

This is a marginal rise in registered marriages due to sustained engagements with religious organisations, communities and the media.

Mr Edward Steele-Dadzie, the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Marriage Registry Department, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

The CCMA also celebrated and gave out 264 certificates to couples while 431 were celebrated at churches with the accreditation to issue certificates to couples.

Among the registered marriages, the oldest couple was a 77-year groom and a 63-year bride, whilst the youngest couple was 21-year old bride and 22-year old groom.

Though Mr Steele-Dadzie could not immediately give statistics on divorced marriages, he described it as alarming and advised prospective couples not to rush into marriage but to understand the demands and consequences before venturing into it.

He attributed the phenomenon to the lack of understanding of what marriage entailed adding that many who came asking for divorce were young women who often looked visibly stressed and disappointed.

Mr Steele-Dadzie also mentioned insincerity and high societal expectations, marital and sexual irresponsibility as the main reasons marriages were breaking.

"Marriage is not an institution for unprepared or immature people," he said, and encouraged couples and would-be couples to register their marriages for security to enjoy maximum protection under the Law.