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Chieftaincy Minister Reveals Actual Age Of Underage Nungua Bride: "The Child Is Almost 16"
Ghana

Chieftaincy Minister Reveals Actual Age Of Underage Nungua Bride: "The Child Is Almost 16"

by  Delali Adogla-Bessa 2 min read
  • Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng has clarified the age of the underage girl in the Nungua traditional wedding
  • The girl was initially reported to be 12 when news of the wedding involving the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo broke
  • The legal minimum age to get married or betrothed in Ghana is 18, according to the Children’s Act

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Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng has revealed that the underage girl in the controversial traditional wedding in Nugua is not 12 years old, as earlier reported.

The minister said the girl is 15 and expected to turn 16 in July 2024.

Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs speaks on Nungua underage marriage
Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng (R). Source: Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs
Source: Facebook

Boateng stressed on Joy News that the girl was still underaged and needed to be protected following a marriage which involved the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII.

Read also

Office of Gborbu Wulomo offers clarity of 12-year-old girl: "She is a reincarnated old woman"

The legal minimum age to get married or betrothed in Ghana is 18, according to Ghana's Children’s Act.

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According to the Children's Act, people party to a child marriage could be jailed for at most one year or fined.

Boateng said the ministry was unravelling new facts amid a probe.

Defence from Nungua shrine

The marriage held on Saturday, March 30, 2024, sparked outrage and prompted calls for the prosecution of the traditional priest.

The Gborbu Wulomo shrine at Nungua has defended the wedding, saying the girl will not have sexual relations with the priest.

Despite the customary wedding, he said the girl will continue in school until she is mature enough to decide to have sexual relations with the Gborbu Wulomo.

The Administrative Office of the Gborbu Wulomo later said the wedding was between an underaged girl and the Gborbu deity.

Read also

Francis-Xavier Sosu petitions police to arrest Gborbu Wulomo following marriage to 12-year-old girl

Police launch to investigate into Gborbu Wulomo's marriage

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Police Service is investigating the controversial marriage between an underage girl and the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo.

The police says it was working with the appropriate agencies, including the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, to get the needed support.

Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu has also petitioned the police to arrest and prosecute the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Delali Adogla-Bessa avatar

Delali Adogla-Bessa (Current Affairs Editor) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.

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