- Police locate 12-year-old girl allegedly married to a 63-year-old priest.
- Girl and mother placed in protective custody.
- Former Minister demands legal action against those involved in the ceremony.
The 12-year-old girl who is reported to have been married to the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo in Nungua, Accra, has been identified and located, according to the Ghana Police Service.
According to the authorities, the mother and the girl are presently under their care.
In a statement, the Police said, “The Ghana Police Service is working with the Department of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to provide her with the necessary support while the matter is being investigated.”
A 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
After learning of the union, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, a former minister of gender, children, and social protection, instructed the government to file lawsuits against the individuals who performed the wedding.
It’s a crime, she added, and the state should have taken action.
“I anticipate that the state, the Ghanaian government, ought to have stepped in; it is their official duty.
She emphasized, “I expect the Ministry of Gender, the police, and the government to step in and make sure that the legal procedures are started.”
It doesn’t matter if the parents are happy—our legislation makes it very plain that the legal age for any form of marriage must be 18 years old. In Ghana, a person must be 18 years of age or older to get married.
