BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRY

REPORT ON BIRTHS AND DEATHS PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026.

I’m submitting to you the report on births and deaths performance for the first quarter, which is based on early births and deaths registered during the period under review.

FUSHEINI DAMBA ISSIFU

REGIONAL REGISTRAR

THE NATIONAL REGISTRAR

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRY

ACCRA, GHANA

APRIL 28^TH 2026

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRY, NORTHERN REGION

INTRODUCTION

The Births and Deaths registration system in the Northern Region is in line with the National Registry, which has undergone a series of transformations, just as the law establishing it has seen some amendments. All this is aimed at improving the final delivery system.

Starting with the Cemeteries Ordinance of 1888, it was first amended in 1891. In 1912, it became the Births and Deaths and Burials Ordinance, which was once again amended in 1926

This was replaced with the Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1965 (Act 301). In 2020, it was amended with the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027).

The Births and Deaths Registry was established by Act 301 of 1965 within the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to handle and develop Ghana’s birth and death registration system. Its core business is to provide accurate and reliable information on all births and deaths occurring within Ghana through registration and certification for the country’s socio-economic development.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027) is an Act to provide for the registration of births, foetal deaths, and deaths in the country and the decentralization of the Births and Deaths Registry to improve the collection and collation of statistics for national development and related matters.

Additionally, the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations, 2021 (Legislative Instrument 2436) was published on December 10, 2021, and commenced on February 17, 2022, to operationalize Act 1027.

These legislative changes reflect Ghana’s efforts to improve the registration system for births and deaths.

TABLE 1: PERFORMANCE OF FIRST QUARTER EARLY BIRTHS REGISTERED BY VARIOUS DISTRICTS FOR 2026

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
DISTRICTS	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
ZABZUGU	2973	188	186	374	12.6
SABOBA	3086	276	261	537	17.4
NANUMBA SOUTH	4373	245	220	465	10.6
MION	3353	226	169	395	11.8
YENDI	5530	405	356	761	13.8
TOLON	4428	444	423	867	19.6
TAMALE METRO	12659	1,636	1,575	3,211	25.4
NANUMBA NORTH	6853	574	493	1067	15.6
KARAGA	4082	437	417	854	20.9
KPANDAI	4583	299	289	588	12.8
KUMBUNGU	4218	329	284	613	14.5
TATALE	2743	320	282	602	21.9
NANTON	1919	159	153	312	16.3
SAVELUGU	4260	554	548	1102	25.9
GUSHEGU	5912	597	542	1139	19.3
SAGNARIGU	12172	564	573	1137	9.3
REGIONAL	83,144	7,253	6,771	14,024	16.9

TABLE 2: PERFORMANCE OF FIRST QUARTER EARLY DEATHS REGISTERED BY VARIOUS DISTRICTS FOR 2026.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
DISTRICTS	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
ZABZUGU	239	1	0	1	0.4
SABOBA	368	2	2	4	1.1
NANUMBA SOUTH	520	1	1	2	0.4
MION	404	1	1	2	0.5
YENDI	887	17	18	35	3.9
TOLON	707	1	1	2	0.3
TAMALE METRO	1438	97	52	149	10.4
SAGNARIGU	1136	9	8	17	1.5
GUSHEGU	671	2	0	2	0.3
SAVELUGU	687	26	32	58	8.4
KARAGA	524	0	1	1	0.2
NANUMBA NORTH	853	5	1	6	0.7
KPANDAI	533	3	1	4	0.8
KUMBUNGU	678	5	1	6	0.9
TATALE	372	2	0	2	0.5
NANTON	284	0	0	0	0
REGIONAL	10,300	172	119	291	2.8

TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF TABLE 1, EARLY BIRTHS FOR MALE AND FEMALE PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	83,144	7,253	6,771	14,024	16.9

As part of the Vision to attain Universal Births and Deaths registration, the Region was given a projected annual target of eighty-three thousand, one hundred and forty-four (83,144) Early births to register for 2026. This figure was then divided into targets for the various districts based on population and fertility rate. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, fourteen thousand and twenty-four Early births were registered by various districts. Out of this figure, seven thousand, two hundred and fifty-three (7,253) were males and six thousand, seven hundred and seventy-one (6,771) were females, respectively.

In summary, the table above shows that a total of fourteen thousand and twenty-four (14,024) early births were registered for the first quarter of 2026. In percentage terms, this represents 16.9 %.

COMPARISON OF EARLY BIRTHS REGISTERED FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025 AND 2026.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2025
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	81,351	7,751	7,290	15,041	18.48

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	83,144	7,253	6,771	14,024	16.9

NORTHERN REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL

BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRY

In case of reply, the reference

number and the date of this letter should be quoted

Our Ref……………………………..

Your Ref…………………………….

Regional Office

P. O. Box 324

Tamale N/R

Tel. 0372024465

Digital address: NT-0024-4562

Date 28th April 2026

REPORT ON BIRTH AND DEATH PERFORMANCE FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2026.

I’m submitting to you the report on birth and death performance for the second quarter, which is based on early births and deaths registered during the period under review.

FUSHEINI DAMBA ISSIFU

REGIONAL REGISTRAR

THE NATIONAL REGISTRAR

BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRY

ACCRA, GHANA

THRO’

THE CHIEF DIRECTOR

NORTHERN REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL TAMALE

JULY 2^ND 2026

BIRTH AND DEATH REGISTRY, NORTHERN REGION

BACKGROUND OF THE REGISTRY

Starting with the Cemeteries Ordinance of 1888, it was first amended in 1891. In 1912, it became the Births and Deaths and Burials Ordinance, which was once again amended in 1926

This was replaced with the Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1965 (Act 301). In 2020, it was amended with the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027).

These legislative changes reflect Ghana’s efforts to improve the registration system for births and deaths.

TABLE 1: PERFORMANCE FOR SECOND QUARTER EARLY BIRTHS REGISTERED BY VARIOUS DISTRICTS FOR 2026

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
DISTRICTS	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
ZABZUGU	2973	325	271	596	20
SABOBA	3086	600	471	1071	34.7
NANUMBA SOUTH	4373	529	514	1043	23.8
MION	3353	236	261	497	14.8
YENDI	5530	686	601	1287	23.2
TOLON	4428	539	542	1081	24.4
TAMALE METRO	12659	2006	1887	3893	30.7
NANUMBA NORTH	6853	663	625	1288	18.7
KARAGA	4082	340	302	642	15.7
KPANDAI	4583	373	314	687	14.9
KUMBUNGU	4218	347	370	717	16.9
TATALE	2743	265	268	533	19.4
NANTON	1919	222	197	419	21.8
SAVELUGU	4260	665	659	1324	31
GUSHEGU	5912	813	728	1541	26
SAGNARIGU	12172	634	622	1256	10.3
REGIONAL	83,144	9,243	8,632	17,875	21.4

TABLE 2: PERFORMANCE FOR SECOND QUARTER EARLY DEATHS REGISTERED BY VARIOUS DISTRICTS FOR 2026.

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
DISTRICTS	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
ZABZUGU	239	0	1	1	0.4
SABOBA	368	3	1	4	1
NANUMBA SOUTH	520	2	4	6	1.2
MION	404	6	0	6	1.5
YENDI	887	21	25	46	5.2
TOLON	707	4	2	6	0.8
TAMALE METRO	1438	212	164	376	26.1
SAGNARIGU	1136	13	2	15	1.3
GUSHEGU	671	2	0	2	0.3
SAVELUGU	687	25	20	45	6.6
KARAGA	524	0	1	1	0.2
NANUMBA NORTH	853	3	3	6	0.7
KPANDAI	533	4	2	6	1.1
KUMBUNGU	678	2	2	4	0.6
TATALE	372	1	0	1	0.3
NANTON	284	0	0	0	0
REGIONAL	10,300	299	226	525	5.1

TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF TABLE 1, EARLY BIRTH FOR MALE AND FEMALE PERFORMANCE FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2026.

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	83,144	9,243	8,632	17,875	21.4

As part of the Vision to attain Universal Births and Deaths registration, the Region was given a projected annual target of eighty-three thousand, one hundred and forty-four (83,144) Early births to register for 2026. This figure was then divided into targets for the various districts based on population and fertility rate. At the end of the second quarter of 2026, seventeen thousand eight hundred and seventy-five (17,875) Early births were registered by various districts. Out of this figure, nine thousand, two hundred and forty-three (9,243) were males, and eight thousand, six hundred and thirty-two (8,632) were females, respectively.

In summary, the table above shows that a total of seventeen thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (17,875) early births were registered for the second quarter of 2026. In percentage terms, this represents 21.4 %.

COMPARISON OF EARLY BIRTHS REGISTERED FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 AND 2026.

SECOND QUARTER OF 2025
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	81,351	8,656	7975	16631	20.4

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	83,144	9,243	8,632	17,875	21.4

TABLE 4: SUMMARY OF EARLY DEATH PERFORMANCE FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2026.

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,300	299	226	525	5.1

An expected death of ten thousand, three hundred (10,300) was projected to be registered by the end of 2026. However, the table above shows the total number of early deaths registered for the second quarter of 2026, which is five hundred and twenty-five (525), of which two hundred and ninety-nine (299) are males, and two hundred and twenty-six (226) are females, representing 5.1%.

COMPARISON OF EARLY DEATHS REGISTERED FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 AND 2026.

SECOND QUARTER OF 2025
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,091	243	149	392	3.9

SECOND QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,300	299	226	525	5.1

Achievements in key functional areas

SN	Key Functional Areas	No. of Functional Activity Performed	Key Activities/Issues	Results/ Achievements
1.	Coordination	4 ACTIVITIES	(1) SENSITISATION; INADEQUATE FUNDING. (2) MOBILE REGISTRATION; LACK OF MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. (3) DEATH NOTIFICATION AWARENESS CREATION; LIMITED PUBLIC AWARENESS (4) BIRTH REGISTRATION; WEAK COLLABORATION WITH HEALTH FACILITIES.	IN VIEW OF THIS, BIRTH REGISTRATION FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026 HAS ACHIEVED 16.9 PERCENT OF EARLY BIRTH AND 2.8 PERCENT OF EARLY DEATH
2.	Technical Backstopping
3.	Monitoring and Evaluation	4 DISTRICTS	(1) DATA ENTRIES IN THE REGISTERS (2) STATIONERY AND OTHER CONSUMABLES	ENTERIES WERE ACCURATELY DONE IN THE REGISTERS
4.	Capacity Building	NILL	LACK OF FUNDS	NILL

Update on Human Resource data

Department	No. of staff	Recruitment (#)	Upgrading (#)	Promotions (#)
BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRY	31	NILL	NILL	NILL

CHALLENGES

UNDERSTAFF

The department lacks staff, which negatively impacts the quality of work across various districts and registries.

LACK OF LOGISTICS

An inadequate number of facilities, such as offices, motorbikes, vehicles, registers, and equipment, negatively impacts the performance of the Registry.

OFFICE ACCOMMODATION

The creation of the region does not have permanent office accommodation for most of the districts on their own to carry out birth and death registration activities. Officers in some of the Districts pair with other departments, therefore making it difficult to keep confidential documents in the offices.

MAINTENANCE OF MOTORBIKES AND VEHICLES

Lack of funding for the maintenance of government-funded motorbikes and vehicles imposes a major constraint on registration communities. This makes it difficult for rich places, especially for rich communities, to capture all births that occurred within the year.

LACK OF DATA

There is no data for the processing and uploading of infant registrations from the hard copy into the HBDRP database system. As a result, officers use their mega salaries to buy data to upload information on infants, therefore making it difficult to get all registered infant births into the system.

THE WAY FORWARD

The challenges mentioned above should be taken into consideration, especially the data, and the provision of funds for fuel and maintenance of motorbikes and vehicles. This will go a long way to helping the region and district achieve its target by the end of the year.

TABLE 4: SUMMARY OF EARLY DEATHS PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,300	172	119	291	2.8

An expected deaths of ten thousand, three hundred (10,300) was projected to be registered by the end of 2026. However, the table above shows the total number of early deaths registered for the first quarter of 2026, which is two hundred and ninety-one (291), of which one hundred and seventy-two (172) are males, and one hundred and nineteen (119) are females. Representing 2.8%.

COMPARISON OF EARLY DEATHS REGISTERED FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025 AND 2026.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2025
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,091	178	77	255	2.5

FIRST QUARTER OF 2026
REGION	TARGET	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL	%
NORTHERN	10,300	172	119	291	2.8

Achievements in key functional areas

SN	Key Functional Areas	No. of Functional Activity Performed	Key Activities/Issues	Results/ Achievements
1.	Coordination	4 ACTIVITIES	(1) SENSITISATION; INADEQUATE FUNDING. (2) MOBILE REGISTRATION; LACK OF MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. (3) DEATH NOTIFICATION AWARENESS CREATION; LIMITED PUBLIC AWARENESS (4) BIRTH REGISTRATION; WEAK COLLABORATION WITH HEALTH FACILITIES.	IN VIEW OF THIS, BIRTH REGISTRATION FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026 HAS ACHIEVED 16.9 PERCENT OF EARLY BIRTH AND 2.8 PERCENT OF EARLY DEATH
2.	Technical Backstopping
3.	Monitoring and Evaluation	4 DISTRICTS	(1) DATA ENTRIES IN THE REGISTERS (2) STATIONERY AND OTHER CONSUMABLES	ENTERIES WERE ACCURATELY DONE IN THE REGISTERS
4.	Capacity Building	NILL	LACK OF FUNDS	NILL

Update on Human Resource data

Department	No. of staff	Recruitment (#)	Upgrading (#)	Promotions (#)
BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRY	31	NILL	NILL	NILL

CHALLENGES

UNDERSTAFF

The department lacks staff, which affects the quality of work by various districts and registries.

LACK OF LOGISTICS

An inadequate number of facilities, such as offices, motorbikes, vehicles, and laptops, amongst others, negatively impacts the performance of the Registry.

OFFICE ACCOMMODATION

The creation of the region does not have permanent office accommodation for most of the districts on their own to carry out birth and death registration activities. Officers in some of the district’s pairs with other departments, therefore making it difficult to keep confidential documents in the offices.

MAINTENANCE OF MOTORBIKES AND VEHICLES

Lack of funding for the maintenance of government-funded motorbikes and vehicles imposes a major constraint on registration communities. This makes it difficult to reach places, especially the hard-to-reach communities, to capture all births that occurred within the year.

LACK OF DATA

THE WAY FORWARD

The challenges mentioned above should be taken into consideration, especially the data, and the provision of funds for fuel and maintenance of motorbikes and vehicles. This will go a long way in helping the region and districts achieve their targets by the end of the year.