The government has announced intentions to collaborate with the National House of Chiefs to review certain customs and traditions in the country, prompted by a contentious marriage between a 63-year-old Nungua Gborbu Wulomo and a 15-year-old girl, Naa Okromo.

Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, addressed the press, stressing the importance of updating customs to align with contemporary values. 

He highlighted the necessity of adapting traditions in light of advancements in democracy, legal frameworks, education, and societal progress.

“As we moved into modern world democracy, law, modernity, more education and all that, we have realised that some of the customs and traditions need to be reformed", Mr Asamoah Boateng said, adding: "And, indeed, under the Chieftaincy Act (759), we have been enjoined to work with the National House of Chiefs to look at the codification of relevant customs across the country, because not all customs are the same."

“Even within Greater Accra, within certain areas, it differs. We can get the codification right, and we can know what happens in which particular area.”

Naa Okromo not pregnant 

Meanwhile, Minister-designate of gender, child and social protection, Darkoa Newman, told journalists at the same press conference that the teenage girl is not pregnant as earlier speculated.

“The medical assessment of the child indicates that she is not pregnant. She has no immediate health concern".

She added: "Naa Okromo's date of birth on records at her crèche and primary schools she attended indicate that she is 15 years old, and she was born on the 18th of July 2008".

The Minister-designate said: "The child will be reunited with her family after the parents have signed a bond".

Ms Newman revealed that the Attorney General has given the greenlight for the teenager to be released to the custody of her parents.

“The attorney general has issued an interim report which is dated April 18, 2024, and has advised that in the best interest of the child and in accordance with Sections 2 and 5 of the Children’s Act, the child should be released to her parent pending their complete review of the docket", she said.

“Thus, the child will be reunited with her family today, April 18, 2024, after her parents have signed a bond", she stated.

The Office of the priest, Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII, had, since the alleged marriage rook place, demanded the release of the girl from state custody so she could performance the necessary traditional rites and customs preserved for only virgins, ahead of the annual Homowo festival of the Ga people