Chief Iman calls for review of Mohammedan Ordinance

Sheikh Usmanu Nuhu Sharabutu, National Chief Imam, on Thursday called for a review of the law pertaining to the Mohammedan Ordinance (Islamic Marriage) to make it more attractive and implementable.

He said the law, as it stood, had made it very difficult for many Muslims to register their marriages compared to their Christian counterparts.

Speaking at a workshop organised by Women in Law and Development (WILDAF), Ghana, on the Mohammedan Ordinance, he called for the extension of the registration period of one week given for the registration of marriages under the Mohammedan Ordinance.

He noted that the one week ultimatum for the registration of Mohammedan marriages was too short to enable married couples to register their marriages.

Sheikh Sharabutu also called for the establishment of other outfits for the registration of Mohammedan marriages other than the offices of Chief Executive Officers of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies; as such places may be very far away for Muslims who live in remote areas of the country.

He said marriage in Islam was one of the fundamental requirements in fulfilling one’s faith in the religion hence its importance in the Islamic faith.

He also called for the change of the name “Mohammedan Marriage” as such name connoted different identity for the practitioners of the Islamic faith.

He expressed worry about the inability of state agencies to provide any data on marriage registrations of Muslims in the country.

Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Chairperson, WILDAF Ghana, said the programme was to create knowledge among Muslims and provide the skills and information for Muslims to advocate for the registration of marriages under the Mohammedan Ordinance.

“The specific aims of the project are to build the capacity of Muslim men and women as legal literacy volunteers who will educate Muslims on the Mohammedan Ordinance and draw the state’s attention to the absence of necessary tools to effectuate the Ordinance,” she said.

Chief Umar Baba Issah, Public Relations Officer for Ayawaso Muslim Chiefs, expressed appreciation to WILDAF Ghana for the education and called on all

Muslims to support them to effectuate the needed changes in the Mohammedan Ordinance.

Source: GNA