The police in Ghana have intervened to safeguard a 12-year-old girl and her mother following widespread outrage over the child’s marriage to a 63-year-old priest.
The controversial marriage ceremony occurred on Saturday, March 30, in Nungua, Ghana, where the man, identified as Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII, wed the young girl, named Naa Okromo. Shockingly, the priest had chosen her as his bride when she was only six years old.
Now, the Ghana Police Service has located the 12-year-old girl and placed her under police protection alongside her mother. In a statement, the Police clarified that they are collaborating with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, as well as the Department of Social Welfare, to provide the necessary support to the girl while the matter undergoes investigation.
This action follows calls from various quarters, including the think tank African Education Watch, celebrities, and social media commentators, demanding the immediate arrest of Gborbu Wulomo for his involvement in the marriage.
Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of African Education Watch, emphasized the illegality of marrying a 12-year-old girl under Ghanaian law. He urged law enforcement to apprehend the Nungua Wulomo and his accomplices without delay, dismissing any claims that the child would not engage in marital duties as irrelevant to the law.
Gborbu Wulomo holds the position of Overlord of all Ga-Damgbe State, further amplifying the significance and gravity of the situation.
