It has been observed that the institution of marriage in Ghana is under attack due to modernity and the superhighway information available to people on social media and other internet enabled platforms.
Dr Abubakar Mohammed Marzuq Azindoo, the Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, and Ms Annie Emefa Fiawoo, a private legal practitioner, said this, and called for safeguards including legal support to individuals especially before marriage.
They said it was important for people to be counselled on the legal and social nuances of marriage and made to understand that it takes “a lot of sacrifices and love” to live in harmony as couple and among families and in society.
This would ensure that the institution of marriage is protected and made sustainable, with people having the peace of mind to build strong families and contribute to social cohesion and national development.
Dr Azindoo, said: “Today, the institution of marriage has become the worst victim of attack due to the superhighway of information, made possible through the internet and social media.”
He said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the Marriage Link Consult (M-Link Consult) a one-stop marriage consulting and event firm, in Accra.
He encouraged institutions including religious organisations and counselling support units to support individuals to lasting and enjoyable marriages and advised that people to embrace love and sympathy in their marital lives.
Dr Azindoo commended M-Link Consult for the initiative and said: “This is a very good initiative, and I must say making it a non- denominational entity is what makes it more special, because it will make it easy for everyone, no matter their religion or beliefs, to walk in and get served.”
Ms Fiawoo also noted modernity and social media had made everything extremely fast with the institution of marriage, while bemoaning the high rate of divorce in the country.
She explained that every registered marriage could not be dissolved in Ghana within two years “unless under extreme circumstances” – one thing she said many people do not know.
“We have had many people seeking divorce in less than two years of their marriages, and they get shocked when we inform them that they cannot have a divorce until after two years. This tells us that people just rush into marriages and do not seek adequate legal information about marriage before registration,” she said.
She added that when people were made to undergo periodic pre and post marriage counselling together with engaging in occasional activities to spice up their union, marriages would be sustained, and cautioned against domestic violence.
Mr Sylvanus Tettey-Tamaklo, Former Ghana Ambassador to Zimbabwe recommended forgiveness and tolerance as the cornerstone of their marriages for couples.
He said: “The issue of forgiveness is very important in every marriage or relationship. Marriage Link must treat it. I also want you to treat the intestate succession law and the sickling tests as topics. They are very important.”
Mr Dickson Antwi, Chief Executive Officer of the company, called for concerted effort to counter the threat to the institution of marriage by promoting social harmony and peace in the homes.
Among others, M-Link Consult would provide marriage partner identification and matching services, and pre-marital counselling for both faith and non-faith-based individuals to adequately prepare them for marriage.
They would also offer customised marriage events organisation to help couples to have stress-free ceremony to suit the budget for marriage ceremony as well as marriage “juice up” services for couples facing challenges in their marriages.
