Ghana: Outrage as 63-year-old traditional priest marries 12-year-old girl

A 63-year-old influential Ghanaian traditional priest has sparked outrage by marrying a 12-year-old girl.

Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII married her in a customary ceremony held on Saturday.

However, the marriage has sparked criticism, with community leaders saying people do not understand their customs and traditions.

Videos and photos of Saturday’s elaborate event which was attended by dozens of community members have been widely shared on social media, triggering an outcry among many Ghanaians.

Critics have called for the authorities to dissolve the marriage and investigate Mr Tsuru.

Leaders of the Nungua indigenous community, to which both the girl and the priest belong, have condemned the public’s opposition to the marriage, saying the criticism “comes from a point of ignorance.”.

The girl is expected to undergo a second customary ceremony to purify her for her new role as the wife of the high priest. The ceremony will also prepare her for marital responsibilities such as childbearing, local media reported.

The legal minimum age to get married in Ghana is 18, and the prevalence of child marriage has declined, but it continues to happen.

According to the global campaigning NGO Girls Not Brides, 19% of girls in the country are married before they reach 18, and 5% get married before their 15th birthday.

The government authorities have yet to respond to the controversial marriage.

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