Child marriage is a no; must be condemned- Justice Ackaah-Boafo
Supreme Court nominee Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo has strongly condemned child marriage, calling for greater emphasis on education and potential legal reforms to protect the rights of vulnerable groups, especially girls.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Justice Ackaah-Boafo stressed that every girl must be given the opportunity to pursue education and realise her full potential. He described the practice of 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.
Justice Ackaah-Boafo also addressed the issue of witchcraft accusations, questioning why such practices persist in a modern, globalised society. He urged a critical re-examination of the basis on which such harmful allegations are made.
“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.
He reaffirmed his opposition to practices that violate the rights of women and children, advocating for both legal measures and public education as tools for change.
“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 said.
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