Executive Director of the Child Rights International, Mr Bright Appiah has commended the state for how it handled the alleged child marriage to Gborbu, a Nungua deity.
He urged the state to apply this same attitude in other matters that come up.
The government on Thursday, April 18 announced that it has released Naa Okromo, also known as Naa Yoomo Ayemuede, who was embroiled in controversy over her alleged marriage to Gborbu into her parents’ care.
The government confirmed in a media briefing that Naa Okromo is not married to the Gborbu wulomo. Government took custody of Naa Yoomo Ayemuede on April 1 following her alleged customary marriage to the Gborbu wulomo on March 30.
Initial inconsistencies led to public outrage over the issue.
Minister-designate for Gender Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman stated that the Attorney-General’s interim report recommends the child’s release to her family for the best interest.
The child’s parents are required to sign a bond to guarantee the child’s rights are upheld.
“The social welfare under the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection has taken the girl through counselling. The required medical assessment has also been undertaken. The counseling officers have had conversations with the child and her family about her health, education, and well-being in general.
The medical assessment shows she’s not pregnant and intact. She is 15 years old. Naa Okromo was born on 18th July 2008. The Attorney-General’s interim report advises she be reunited with her family. So, the government will be releasing her to the family after they sign the bond,” she stated.
Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah- yeboah said the office is still examining the full docket of the issue.
“Our men are studying the full docket to further ascertain some facts of the matter, and whatever we discover, we will let the public know. If there are issues that demand prosecution, then so shall be done. If not, we will inform the populace,” he assured.
The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng has pledged to explore ways to ensure that some traditions and cultures and modified.
“It has already been established that there wasn’t a marriage between Naa Okromo and the chief priest. These traditions and cultures have been there for years, but as democracy and time changes, there is need for them to be looked at across the country. And the Chieftaincy Act states all, and so we will be looking at how some of them can be modified to conform with current trends,” Mr Asamoah Boateng said.
Commenting on this matter on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Thursday April 18, Mr Bright Appiah said “Studying the matter up to this point, I feel that a lot has gone into it and you need to commend the state for taking those steps.
“I have been in close touch with the matter and I feel that the way and manner the state has handled this particular case, in terms of the welfare of the child, is commendable. I even say that they should repeat that in other issues that they will detect especially when it comes to the protection of the child.
“So for me, I want to believe the state has come to some reasonable conclusion that where we are now we think that we can release the child to the parents and protective mechanisms of the state will be available for the child.
“They wanted to release this girl last week Friday but a few matters came in and they thought that they had to meet the community, they had to meet traditional authority, they have to meet the parents to be able to sensitize them on such matters that bother on the welfare of children. So clearly, if they have done all that and they have agreed that the child must return to the House then it is a good thing.
“One of the things we need to know is that the law is clear in what we should do in matters of this nature that in the best interest of the child , the feeling and the state and condition of the child can also determine whether the child should also return to the family.”