Public urged to register marriages

Takoradi, Nov 7, GNA - The Western Regional Office of the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and the Rights and Voices Initiative (RAVI) have embarked on a legal awareness programme for security services in the region.

Mr John Burke Baidoo, a lawyer at WilDAF, said this at a forum on family laws and the domestic violence law for some members of the security services in Takoradi on Monday.

He said consensual unions such as betrothals, forced marriages and concubinage are not legally recognised in the country. Mr Baidoo said the PNDC Law 111 used the word spouse to describe recognised marriages and these unions are not recognised as spouses under the law.

He said this creates problems especially when couples in such relationship acquire property together. Mr Baidoo advised the people to register their marriages in accordance with recognised marital laws of the country. Miss Louisa Quaicoe, a lawyer with WiLDAF, said marriages legally recognised in the country are customary and Islamic marriages and marriage by ordinance.

She said announcement of marriage or "Knocking" and just been in union do not constitute marriage. Miss Quaicoe said a man could not be said to be married to a woman just because he has children with her or has put the woman in the family way.

She said marriages are recognised as such when they contracted customary, by Islamic law and by ordinance. Miss Quaicoe said strictly speaking engagements are customary marriages because marriages could be registered after engagements. She said marriages blessed in the Churches must be done by Pastors who have licence and in Churches that are mandated to do so.