News
‘Child marriage; disservice to victims, society’
• Ms. Sahadatu Ali
An Education, Migration and Gender Researcher, Ms Sahadatu Ali, has said that persons who engage in child marriage do a disservice to the victims and the society in general.
“Children should be allowed to learn, develop and enjoy their childhood under the guidance of parents and guardians; they have no business carrying out marital duties, giving birth and raising children,” she said.
Speaking in an interview with The Spectator last Thursday, Ms. Ali who is an advocate against child marriage said she had observed that much needed to be done by parents and the state to tackle the act which constituted a form of abuse against the young ones and deserved more public attention to fight the canker.
“Some argue that it was better to marry off girls at an early age than for them to be engaged in sexual activities. And I say that, if a child is engaged in sexual activities, it is the failure of the parents to guide the child, thus the child should not be punished for the failure of parents,” she said.
She intimated that marrying off children as a means of curbing premarital sex among children was a lazy approach to child nurturing.
“If children are engaged in sexual activities, it is the duty of parents to do the hard work of reorienting and guiding the children, rather than opting for the easiest way out which is child marriage” Ms Ali said.
The Education, Migration and Gender Researcher said she was unhappy that this critical aspect of the issue was not being constantly emphasized by well-meaning Ghanaians.
“They are also at a higher risk of being abused physically, sexually, verbally and financially due to their age and little appreciation of life in general” she said.
Ms. Ali said even among Muslims, where some adherents hid behind the alleged marriage of Prophet Mohammed to a nine years old Aisha to perpetuate child marriage, the practice had become unpopular.
“Some scholars and students of Hadiths had challenged this narration with new evidence revealing that at the time they claimed Aisha was nine years, records showed that her younger siblings were older than nine during the same period. Their argument is that Aisha cannot be younger than her younger siblings,” she disclosed.
She said another school of thought, opposed to the claim that Aisha married at nine years had argued that:
“If the Quran says Prophet Mohanmed was the best example to mankind, and hadith showed that he (the Prophet) refused to give his daughter, Fatima’s hand in marriage at 18 years with the excuse that she was not matured, how could the same person accept to marry a nine years old contrary to his own practice and example,” she questioned.
“There are other schools of thought that have argued against child marriage amongst Muslims, using evidence from the Quran. For example, the Quran says if an orphan is left in your care with property to be handed over to him/her when older, first test them to establish that they are matured before you hand over their property to them and/or marry them off,” she said.
She said the issue of child marriage should be attacked from all angles to ensure that children got the best from society and called on all persons to say no to child marriage.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Ashaiman.
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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