[ 2021-02-14 ]

Review law on age for consent to sex – Population Council
Executive Director of the National Population
Council, Dr. Leticia Appiah is asking government
to increase the age of marriage to control not
only population growth but also enable girls to
finish school before entering marriage.


She also wants the law on age for consent to sex
reviewed.



In Ghana, the age of consent to sex is 16years,
according to Section 101 of the 1960 Criminal
Code. The age limit for marriage is 18 years old.
This means any boy or girl who so desires to marry
at that age is permitted whiles it is permissible
for girls to consent to sex at the age of 16
without any prosecution.

Limiting the age of marriage and consent to sex it
is believed would reduce streetism, reduce teenage
pregnancies and school dropouts.


According to Dr. Appiah, people cannot make
choices in ignorance and believes a lot of
information is needed for policy and decision
making.

A comparison of what exist in other countries
shows that the age of consent in Kenya is 18 years
regardless of sexual orientation or gender, that
of Liberia is also 18 years, The minimum age of
consent in Gabon is 15 but it is 13 in Niger.



Other places are Cape Verd 14, Gambia 18 for
females and Guinea Bissau 12 years.



Dr. Appiah who made the observation on the 3FM’s
Sunrise Morning Show said “It is not just
limiting the number of babies you can have but
also increasing the age of marriage. If you give
birth at 15 years, within 60 years you have four
generations but if we say our children are going
to give birth at 20 years so that they can be in
school. It is not just limiting the number at
times even if you live the same number and you
give birth later just obey the rules of reducing
high risks pregnancies that’s all,” she
emphasized.

Source - 3 News

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