The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the identification and location of the 12-year-old girl allegedly married to the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo in Nungua, Accra.
Both the girl and her mother are presently under police protection. According to a statement from the Police, they are collaborating with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, as well as the Department of Social Welfare, to provide the necessary support during the ongoing investigation.
“The Ghana Police Service is working with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and the Department of Social Welfare to provide her with the necessary support while the matter is being investigated,” the statement issued by the Police said.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsA 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL ALLEGEDLY MARRIED TO GBORBU WULOMO AND HER MOTHER UNDER POLICE PROTECTION pic.twitter.com/GM0fP8XaDK
— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) April 2, 2024
In response to reports of the marriage, Former Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, urged the state to take immediate legal action against those responsible for organizing the ceremony. She emphasized that the state has a legal obligation to intervene in such cases.
Speaking on TV3’s News 360 on Monday, April 1, she stated, “I am expecting that the state, the Government of Ghana, should have intervened; that is their legal responsibility.” She further emphasized that the actions surrounding the marriage are unlawful under Ghana’s Children Act, 1992 Constitution, and international conventions on children’s rights, and therefore require swift intervention from the authorities to protect the girl.
“I expect the government, the police, the Ministry of Gender to intervene…and ensure that the legal processes are initiated,” she stressed.
Additionally, she emphasized that parental consent is irrelevant, as Ghanaian law clearly stipulates a minimum marriage age of 18 years, underscoring that marriage in Ghana is only permissible for individuals aged 18 and above.
Addressing public apprehensions, the Nungua Traditional Authority provided clarity, affirming that the marriage served purely traditional purposes devoid of any conjugal obligations. Nungua Mankralo Tetteh Nii Gbotery Kofi Frankwa elucidated that the girl’s position as the second wife was a customary obligation, underlining the significance of her maintaining her virginity. He underscored the enduring traditions and cultural significance embedded within the community, emphasizing the continuity of such practices.
“This is the second wife she is almost 90 years old, can one say that the Gborbu Wumlormo is having what concerns are being raised with her? Obviously no. But is a customary duty It is a customary duty for Naa Yomo to perform and that customary duty calls for a virgin
“Her childhood has never been denied, there are many chiefs and queens that were installed chiefs and queens when they were even in their mother’s belly, their rights were never taken away, indeed it enhanced and gave them certain privileges that ordinary children will not even have,” Tetteh Nii Gbotery Kofi Frankwa said in an interview on TV3.
As part of further rites, the girl, now known as Naa Ayemoede, will undergo a purification ceremony to fulfill her duties as the wife of the Gborbu Wulomo, including procreation responsibilities. Meanwhile, the Gborbu Wulomo temple clarified that the girl’s designation to one of the deities of the Ga-Adangbe group necessitated her virginity to protect her from any sexual violation.
The temple’s spokesperson, Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, defended the practice, stating that it aligns with Ga-Dangme tradition and spirituality, urging critics to seek deeper understanding before passing judgment.