The Federal Government has said that only 314 places of worship had renewed their licenses to conduct statutory marriages in the country.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Georgina Ehuriah, made the disclosure in Abuja and warned that marriages conducted in unlicensed places of worship, remained illegal as same will not be recognised by the government.
While calling on places of worship to update their data with the ministry, Ehuriah said only about 4,689 licensed places of worship had done so.
“Presently, only about 4,689 licensed places of worship in Nigeria have updated their records with the Ministry of Interior of which only 314 have renewed their licenses to conduct statutory marriages.
The implication of this is that marriages conducted in unlicensed places of worship are not in line with the Marriage Act and cannot serve legal purposes when the need arises; and such unlicensed places of worship are operating contrary to Section 6(1) of the Marriage Act,” she said.
