Pegging Marriage Age At 23…We May Live To Fight Battles Of Sexual Misconduct

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Parent Category: Education & Training

Category: Youth News

Created on Friday, 19 July 2013 00:00

Pegging Marriage Age At 23…We May Live To Fight Battles Of Sexual Misconduct

Government Statistician, Dr. Philomena Nyarko, this week proffered that the legal marriage age should be fixed at 23 years to ensure that young women become physically, socially and psychologically prepared before procreation.

Dr. Philomena Nyarko made the remarks at the launch of the 5th African Youth and Governance Conference in Accra under the theme “Youth inclusive governance: Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Potential”.

During the launch, she stressed the need for the nation to put in place measures against child bearing in order to improve the living conditions of families.

"It is well known that health outcome for both mother and child improve, if pregnancy is delayed until when the young woman has matured for marriage an childbearing, to help save the lives of both mother and child," she said

The new age, she stated, will also help to check the population growth of the country.

But Ursula Owusu, who also doubles as the NPP Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, sharply disagrees and finds the proposition absurd.

According to her, scientifically, the libido in adolescents tends to rise in their youthful years and therefore should there be any upward adjustments in the marriage age, the country may live to fight the battles of sexual misconduct.

She pontificated on Oman FM that the youth may become promiscuous if the current marriage age entrenched in the constitution is reviewed and fixed at 23 years.

In her view, the ripe age should remain at 18 years but left to the discretion of the spouses to determine the period to seal their relationship in marriage.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com