ALFRED MENSAH WELSING (PETITIONER) vs. REBECCA ODARKOR WELSING (RESPONDENT) [2012]DLHC7517

Date	2012-06-06
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BDMC 67/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLHC7517

JUSTICE C. A. WILSON J

ODOI SYKES FOR RESPONDENT/APPLICANT

EFFAH DARTEH FOR PETITONER/RFSPONDENT

[2012]DLHC7517
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALFRED MENSAH WELSING<o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>REBECCA ODARKOR WELSING<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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ODOI SYKES FOR RESPONDENT/APPLICANT<o:p></o:p>

EFFAH DARTEH FOR PETITONER/RFSPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>JUSTICE
C. A. WILSON,J<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>INTRODUCTION
<o:p></o:p>This
action was commenced by Alfred Mensah Welsing seeking a divorce, hence the
proceedings was conducted within the contest of Matrimonial Causes Act, Act
367. <o:p></o:p>BACKGROUND <o:p></o:p>The
parties were married customarily in December 1997 and converted the marriage
into ordinance marriage in August 2010, they cohabited in South Africa and
Swaziland where the petitioner husband was employed and the respondent wife set
up a dressing business. In 2005, the couple finally returned to Ghana after the
petitioner had suddenly being taken ill.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The petitioner husband commenced divorce
proceedings on the 24th day of November 2011. <o:p></o:p>MOTION APPLICATION <o:p></o:p>On
the 14th day of February 2012, the respondent filed a motion for:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;a) An order for the payment of maintenance to
the respondent from 1st September 2011. <o:p></o:p>b) An award of financial
provision to the respondent for the management and security of the matrimonial home.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;c) Any further order or orders this Honourable
Court may deem meet. <o:p></o:p>The
affidavits in support was drafted by experienced lawyers acting for both
parties.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;POSITION OF THE RESPONDENT/APPLICANT <o:p></o:p>In
his affidavit the respondent wife deposed in paragraphs 12 to 23 that:— <o:p></o:p>"12 That from September
1, 2011 the petitioner has been kept in-communicado from me; he has never
telephoned since he was taken away, and neither he nor his sister who took him
away can be reached by telephone; they never answer my calls. <o:p></o:p>13. That the sudden
desertion of the Petitioner was a predetermined act intended to inflict
hardship and suffering on me for the failure to prevent the Ordinance marriage.
<o:p></o:p>14. That the Petitioner left
the matrimonial home without making any financial arrangements for its
maintenance and security. <o:p></o:p>15. That from 1st September
2011, the Petitioner has willfully neglected to provide for, or make a
contribution towards my maintenance. <o:p></o:p>16. That the Petitioner is
fully aware that I am unemployed and do not earn any income at all from any
source. <o:p></o:p>17. That I cannot even go
back to my old hair-dressing business because I cannot obtain a loan to acquire
a business premises and equipment since I cannot afford the mandatory
collateral.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;18. That I now depend on the goodwill of a
sister and her husband to keep body and soul together. <o:p></o:p>19. That the petitioner, on
the other hand gets at least the sum of US$2,500.00 (about GH¢4,000.00) every
month from the La Palm Beach Hotel as rent for his property at Cantonments in
Accra, not to mention his retirement benefits and other known sources of
income; and the rent will be incr</main>