Fear of ‘Side Chicks’: AG details why 20 female MPs shot down ‘spouses’ property rights’ bill

Dr. Ayine, while highlighting some flaws in Ghana’s Constitution, expressed deep concern over the country’s failure to pass legislation on spousal property rights, describing it as one of his biggest regrets.

He explained that the only attempt to pass such a law occurred during the first term of former President John Dramani Mahama.

However, the bill was rejected at the consideration stage in Parliament.

“The Constitution guarantees the property rights of spouses in Article 22, Clause 1, which states: ‘Parliament shall, as soon as practicable after the coming into force of this Constitution, enact legislation regulating the property rights of spouses.’ It has been 32 years since the Constitution came into force, yet we are yet to pass such legislation.”

“The closest we came to fulfilling this obligation was during Mr. President’s first term when my boss, the Hon. Marietta Brew, tabled a motion in Parliament in 2016 to regulate spousal property rights. However, the bill was rejected due to a single provision relating to cohabitation,” he said in a video clip from a recent event broadcasted by ChannelOne TV.

Dr. Ayine disclosed that at the time, the 20 female parliamentarians in the House strongly opposed the bill and did everything in their power to prevent its passage.

He stated that the female MPs feared the law would allow “side chicks” to inherit the properties of married men.

The bill proposed that individuals who had cohabited for five years would be entitled to inherit their partner’s properties. However, this provision was met with fierce resistance from the female MPs.

“The women’s caucus in Parliament at the time strongly opposed that provision, and their opposition was louder than all the men combined. There were only 20 women, yet during consultations, when I even suggested removing the cohabitation clause which provided that if a man and a woman, regardless of marital status, lived together for five years and presented themselves as husband and wife, they would be entitled to inherit shared property; the women still shut it down.”

“They viewed this as an advantage for ‘side chicks,’ and despite their small numbers, they ensured the bill did not pass,” he said.

Watch his remarks in the video below: