Women Lawyers Call for Review of Intestate Law

The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) an advocacy of Ghanaian women lawyers have called for review of portions of the Interstate Succession Law to provide security for spouses whose partners die interstate.

The Association held a press conference yesterday as part of activities to mark the "Third Annual Day of Action Women's Inheritance Rights" and recommend a speedy processing of proposals submitted to the Attorney General 's Office on inheritance.

Addressing the press, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Chairperson of AWLA noted that ignorance of the Law and cultural beliefs of the people has affected the effective implementation of the Interstate Succession Law.

She said the public could be educated about the Law if the government took steps to address the serious lapses that came up during its implementation by disseminating information among the population especially those in the rural areas, who are most at risk.

Ms.Bernice Baiden, a member of the association observed that definition of a child and a spouse under the Law poses serious problems to beneficiaries especially in customary marriage in a polygamous home.

She said the Law permits children outside the ordinance marriage to share the house and property with the legitimate wife who might have contributed to the acquisition of the joint ownership. However, she asked how a woman could share property with the other wives and children of the man if he should die without writing a will.

Ms Baiden acknowledged that though Ghana was the first to have such legislation touted as one of the best in Africa, there was the need to fine tune it and make its implementation relevant to the existing situation.

She proposed that government must support NGOs that support women rights advocacy to source funds for intensive education on the Interstate Law.

Ms. Alikem Adadevoh, Administrative Secretary of the association noted that since the implementation of the PNDC Law there was the need to institute a specific legislative instrument to deal with the Law.

She called for regular review of the law and suggested the setting up of a special court to share properties among named beneficiaries.

She said that although the Law makes it a criminal offence to interfere with the property of beneficiaries, some families flout it with impunity, which makes beneficiaries doubt their honesty.