MIA Unveils Traditional Marriage Certificates, Print 20,000 Copies  

By Ezekiel Geeplay

MONROVIA, November 25, 2024- The Liberian Government, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), on Monday, November 25, 2024, unveiled its Traditional marriage Certificates in Monrovia.

Speaking at the launch, MIA Acting Minister, Samuel Brown, lauded the participants for gracing the occasion and said the launch of the marriage certificate distinguishes married couple on the one hand, and those are unmarried on the other. He made mention of other certificates including divorce certificates, bachelor, and spinsterhood certificates.

He said the initiative would never have been implemented without the full cooperation of the Ministry’s business partners, its Legal section and others.

Mr. Brown who is also the Deputy Minister  for Administration at the MIA   disclosed that, when they took over the affairs of the Ministry early this year, they met less than  two  hundred copies of the marriage certificates for the entire country.

According to him, they did not have the money for the printing cost of additional certificates and other related ones.

He said in order to find solution to this situation, several meetings were held with their business partners to print those additional copies that will cover the entire country for now until the produced the UN are ready.

Minister Brown indicated that, they consented and printed 20,000 copies to affect categories such as marriage, bachelorhood, and spinsterhood as well as divorce certificates.

He said their business partner that printed the certificates has not received a dime from the MIA for the printing and transportation cost of these important documents.

He pointed out that, the price of these certificates in 2014 was retained in 2024 with no increment in the cost of production.

“Please note that, there is a little price for these certificates to help us settle the payment cost, stationery and transportation costs to the business partner,” he said.

Minister Brown named the cost of the various certificates as Marriage certificate is USD$75.00 and of this amount, USD$ 50.00 will go to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), while USD $25.00 will go to MIA escrow account to be established at a local Bank through the ministry’s Finance Division.

He also said the cost for Divorce Certificate is USD$100.00 and of this amount, USD$75.00 was LRA bound while the MIA pocket $25.00 the ministry benefit the USD$25.00 via its Escrow Account to be established with local bank.

Mr. Brown said the cost for Bachelorhood certificate is USD$ 25.00 and will go to the go MIA account to be established at a local Bank through similar method.

He added that as for Spinster certificate, the cost is USD 25.00 and will be paid to the MIA escrow account to be established at a local Bank through their Finance Division.

He also added that civil document include but is not limited to the following: Erratum, Certified statement, Annotation, True correct copy, Note to file, Discovery and non-Discovery letters- all of which are issued by the Legal Bureau after the payment of the USD 50.00 to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).

“The MIA is a contributor to the annual Budget of Liberia therefore, we want to assure the Government of Liberia that we will continue to contribute our quota the national budget” he said.