The marriage of a 63-year-old religious leader to his wife caused a stir in Ghana

The wedding of a 63-year-old animist religious leader in Ghana angered a young man And a shout out to the arrest of the priest in this West African country.

religion, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIIIAlways know Gborbu WulomoThe minor got married on Saturday in a traditional ceremony near the capital Accra.

Police and officials initially said the girl was 12 or 13, but traditional officials involved in the ceremony say she was 16.

In Ghana, The minimum legal age for marriage is 18 years.

“We seem to understand many things. For example, we believe 12 years old is wrong. The girl is almost 16 years old… she is a minor,” Religious Affairs Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng declared during an interview with a local radio station.

Photos and videos of the nexus were posted on social networks, sparking outrage among internet users and children's rights activists.

“The government must take immediate action,” he declared AFP Nana Oye Bambo AdoActivist and former Ghanaian Minister for Gender Equality, Children and Social Security.

“What just happened is a crime and illegal,” he added.

The prosecutor's office opened an investigation and indicated that a “criminal offense” may have been committed.

To protect the marriage, the priest's spokesman promised that the spouses would not have sex until the young woman reached the legal age of 16. However, he did not mention the girl's age.

“This is not a wedding ceremony. There is nothing sexual about it. The priest already has three common wives. “It's a traditional role to assist the priest in his spiritual work,” spokesman Mankralo Shvonotalor said by phone.

According to him, the rights of the teenager who continues to attend school are not violated.

Shortly after the wedding, he and his mother were taken into police custody.

In a Facebook post, a concerned Ghanaian wrote: “Typical wife??? “Child marriage is criminalized in Ghana and no ritual should be performed that violates a woman's rights to reach her full potential.”

Another said: “There are so many things in this country and this is one of them!??? How can a 12-year-old girl become a wife in 2024? “Is this a stupid joke???”

Another added: “I believe this is a prank and the Ministry of Gender and the police are working to clarify the facts surrounding this.”

“We love and appreciate our custom, but not the part that says a 63-year-old man is giving away a 12-year-old girl.said another person on the social network

According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), there are thousands of reports of adult-child marriages in Ghana. Most of the married women do not go to school. A recent study, cited BBCIt shows that one in five young Ghanaian women between the ages of 20 and 24 are married before the age of 18.

(With information from AFP)