Vim Lady
Media personality, Vim Lady, has said that people who marry traditionally can still share properties acquired during the marriage if they divorce.
In a video circulating on TikTok, Vim Lady dismissed claims that only couples who marry through an ordinance or a court wedding are entitled to property sharing after divorce.
“Those saying that because someone married traditionally, they will not share properties when they divorce, that’s not entirely true. Whether you marry traditionally, in court, or through an Islamic wedding, you can still share properties with your partner when the marriage ends,” she said.
According to her, Ghana’s laws recognise different forms of marriage and do not exclude people in customary marriages from claiming a share of jointly acquired assets.
She explained that couples can choose to settle issues relating to property on their own without going to court if both parties agree.
“When both spouses understand each other and decide not to let the court intervene, and you’re both sure you can handle everything, then you can go ahead and do that,” she stated.
Vim Lady also noted that customary marriages can be registered, but registration does not change them into ordinance marriages.
“If you register it, it doesn’t become an ordinance marriage. It remains a traditional marriage that has been registered,” she explained.
Using actress Nana Ama McBrown as an example, Vim Lady said properties owned before marriage usually remain with their original owners, while assets acquired during the marriage may be shared.
“What may be shared are the properties acquired during the marriage. However, if both parties understand each other, they can decide among themselves who takes what,” she said.
She advised the public not to be deceived into believing that people in traditional marriages have no right to marital property after divorce.