Naa Yoomo Ayemuede is 15, not 16 years old – Child Rights International
Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah, has disclosed that the girl at the centre of the child marriage controversy is 15 years old, not 16, as previously claimed by the Nungua Traditional Council.
The 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, faced backlash after a video surfaced online showing him and a young girl called Naa Yoomo Ayemuede engaging in a ceremony that looked like a traditional marriage.
READ ALSO: Gborbu Wulomo, 63, Marries Girl, 12, In Controversial Customary Marriage In Nungua
The alleged marriage occurred on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Nungua, drawing widespread attention and criticism from all angles.
However, Gborbu Wulomo explained that the ceremony does not mandate the girl to perform marital responsibilities like sex, as a section of the public was claiming until she was 18 years old.
In contrast, the Nungua Traditional Council had earlier stated that the girl, Naa Yoomo Ayemuede, was 16 years old, not 12 as initially reported.
But in an interview with Citi News, Bright Appiah revealed that his investigation confirmed the child to be 15 years old, yet to attain 16.
“The issue of age also came in. Initially, we heard 12 years, at a point we heard 16, and per the investigation we’ve done so far, the girl is 15 years old, yet to attain the age of 16. Clearly, let’s assume she’s 16; there are certain things she cannot do,” he said.
Mr. Appiah assured that significant efforts are being made to ensure the child’s welfare.
“When it comes to the welfare of the child, I can say a lot has gone into it. I can also confirm that she’s doing well, and a lot of psychologists are working on her. Case managers are also taking care of her, and caregivers are also doing what they are supposed to do.”