The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana has petitioned Parliament to urgently pass the Property Rights of Spouses Bill into law following widespread public reaction to the recent divorce ruling involving businessman Richard Nii Armah Quaye and his ex-wife.
According to FIDA, the absence of clear legislation on spousal property rights continues to leave many women and children vulnerable during divorce and separation proceedings.
Speaking ahead of the presentation of the petition to Parliament, President of FIDA Ghana, Gloria Ofori-Boadu, revealed that only about eight percent of marriages in Ghana are registered under the ordinance system, a situation she says exposes many spouses to legal uncertainty in the distribution of property after divorce.
She stressed the need for urgent legal reforms to ensure fairness and protection for spouses, particularly women, who may contribute to marriages in non-monetary ways.
Receiving the petition, Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin assured FIDA that the bill, which has already been gazetted, will soon be laid before Parliament for consideration.
The Speaker also questioned the basis of some court judgments in divorce cases, suggesting the absence of comprehensive legislation may be contributing to inconsistencies in judicial decisions.
Speaking to the media after presenting the petition, Madam Gloria Ofori-Boadu urged Parliament to treat the matter with urgency due to the serious consequences the legal gap continues to have on women and children.
FIDA Ghana is also calling on Parliament to fully implement Article 22 of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates Parliament to enact laws regulating the property rights of spouses.
