Supreme Court Judge nominee, Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo, has strongly condemned child marriage, emphasising the importance of education and potential legal reforms to protect the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly girls. In response to questions before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, he stressed the need to ensure that every girl has the opportunity to pursue an education and realise her full potential. He described forced child marriages as completely unacceptable, stating, “The girl child should have the opportunity to be educated and develop her talents.
Placing a child into marriage against their wishes is certainly a no-no.” Justice Ackaah-Boafo also addressed the issue of witchcraft accusations, questioning why such practices continue to exist in modern society. He called for a critical review of the standards used to make these 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.
By: Patricia Boakye