NANA ABOAGYE BOACHIE-DANQUAH vs. DORIS DSANE

The petitioner and respondent contracted an Ordinance marriage on 28 March 2019 at the Metropolitan Offices and had the marriage blessed at the Assemblies of God Church, Effiakuma, on 30 March 2019. They lived together first in Accra and later at Kansaworodo, Takoradi. There was one child of the marriage. The petitioner alleged that the marriage had broken down beyond reconciliation because of the respondent’s unreasonable behaviour and irreconcilable differences, including persistent quarrels, hostility toward his family, emotional abuse, and the unilateral naming of their child without consulting him. He sought dissolution of the marriage, custody, maintenance orders, and an order permitting him to name the child. The respondent ceased participating in the proceedings and did not testify. Portion of judgment: opening paragraphs and petitioner’s witness statement, especially paras. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17 and 20 as reproduced in the judgment.

JUDGMENT In this divorce petition, the parties contracted marriage under the Ordinance on 28th March, 2019 at the Metropolitan Offices and same blessed at the Assemblies of God Church, Effiakuma on 30th March, 2019 all within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan area. After the marriage, the parties co-habited in Accra and thence to Kansaworodo, Takoradi. There is one issue in the marriage. The petitioner claims the marriage has broken down beyond reconciliation citing unreasonable behaviour on the part of the respondent and their irreconcilable differences. Petitioner is therefore seeking the following reliefs: a. That the ordinance marriage celebrated between the parties on the 28th day of March, 2019 and blessed in the Church on the 30th day of March, 2021, be dissolved. b. That the Petitioner be given custody of the one (1) child of the marriage with reasonable access to the Respondent. c. An Order directed at the Respondent to allow the Petitioner give a name to this child a...