Child marriage is a ‘No-No’ – Justice Ackaah-Boafo
Supreme Court Judge nominee, Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo, has strongly condemned child marriage emphasising the role of education and possible legal reforms in protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly girls.
Responding to questions before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, he highlighted the importance of giving every girl child the opportunity to pursue education and realise her full potential, describing forced child marriages as completely unacceptable.
“The girl child should have the opportunity to be educated and develop her talent, so that when you place a child into a marriage against their wishes, it is certainly a no-no,” he stated.
Turning his attention to the issue of witchcraft accusations, the nominee questioned why such practices persist in a modern, global society and called for a critical review of the standards used in making such harmful allegations.
“But why are we in a globalised society, and should we be talking about witchcraft? I think that these are nuances that we may have to address. We accuse people of being witches, and you have to find out what the standard of such determination is,” he said.
Justice Ackaah-Boafo reiterated his opposition to practices that violate the rights of children and women, calling for both education and appropriate legislation as solutions.
“So I do not believe that children should be put in marriage at a tender age. Every child should have the opportunity to develop their talents, and if there is a need for us to regulate that through law, I am all for it. But I think many of these things come with education rather than just law,” he concluded.
