THE Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs is set to establish a data-sharing agreement with the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) to access records of churches registered as companies limited by guarantee, the sector Minister, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, has said.
He explained that this would be done through formal collaboration with the RGD and the Ministry of Justice. Additionally, the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) will maintain local registers of churches operating within their jurisdictions under the local governance structure.
Mr Ibrahim noted that the Religious Bodies (Regulation) Law, 1989 (PNDC Law 221), was designed to regulate the establishment of churches and religious bodies in Ghana. “This law caused controversy, with many churches opposing it, arguing that it infringed on freedom of religion and gave the government excessive control over religious practice,” he said.
He added that today, churches are registered as companies limited by guarantee with the RGD, providing them legal recognition, the ability to own property, and protection under Ghanaian law. However, the RGD does not publish a single national number of all registered churches. Regional data and surveys indicate thousands of churches, including over 2,200 registered in the Greater Accra Region alone as of 2025, with 98 percent being single-owner churches.
To improve data accuracy, Mr Ibrahim said the MMDAs would consider developing a digital Registry System linked to the RGD. This system would serve as a centralised platform for churches to update their operational status annually, ensuring that accurate information on churches is available nationwide.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON TETTEY
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