The Ghana Police Service has successfully located the 12-year-old girl allegedly married to the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo in Nungua, Accra. Currently, both the girl and her mother are under Police protection, as an investigation into the matter has begun.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and the Department of Social Welfare, the Ghana Police Service is ensuring that the girl receives necessary support during the investigation process.
Meanwhile, amidst calls for the arrest of the 63-year-old priest over the controversial marriage, the Gborbu Wulomo shrine in Nungua is standing its ground. The marriage ceremony held on March 20, 2024, stirred widespread outrage, with demands for the prosecution of Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII.
According to the Gborbu Wulomo temple, the selection of the 12-year-old girl, Naa Yomo Ayemuade, for a specific role within the shrine is deeply rooted in spiritual practices that began six years ago. She is designated to attend to one of the 99 deities of the Ga-Adangbe group, a role traditionally reserved for virgins.
The temple spokesperson, Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, clarified that the public marriage ceremony was conducted to uphold the girl’s purity and protect her from potential sexual violations by men.
Critics who have raised objections fail to understand the core tenets of the Ga Dangbe tradition, according to the spokesperson.
Child marriage remains a pressing concern in Ghana, with efforts underway to eradicate the practice. Statistics indicate that a significant number of girls in Ghana are either married or cohabiting with men, with various regions reporting alarming rates of child marriage.
Ghana has made commitments to international conventions aimed at protecting children’s rights, including pledges from President Akufo-Addo to end child marriage in the country.
Prominent activists, such as Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child Rights International, and former Gender Minister, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, have voiced their opposition to child marriage and the controversies surrounding traditional practices in Ga tradition.
