A-G designate promises passage of Intestate Succession Bill

Europa

January 22, 2017 3:21 PM

In 2009, the Intestate Succession Bill was tabled before Parliament to serve as a replacement to PNDC Law 111 which has outlived its relevance according to gender groups.

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The Attorney General and Minister of Justice-designate, Gloria Akuffo, has given assurance that if approved by Parliament, she would work towards resolving any issue blocking the passage of the Intestate Succession Bill.

“I will look at it again with technical people [at the Attorney General’s office]. As I understand, there are many amendments. When there are many amendments it requires that you look at it carefully, otherwise in trying to improve on it, you may miss certain details that may not make it as good as intended.

"Should I be given approval, it is one of the things that I will look at when I assume office,” she told the Vetting Committee of Parliament on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Explainer

To die intestate means to die without a will stating who one wishes to bequeath their estate to.

Before PNDC Law 111, scenes of widows, whose husbands died intestate, being driven out of their matrimonial homes by the husband’s family were very common.

In 2014, during a discussion of the Intestate Succession Bill, Nelson Abudu, the Member of Parliament for Daboya suggested that women who have children outside their marriage be stoned as punishment.

Heavy criticism of his comments by fellow parliamentarians, gender activists, and ordinary Ghanaians soon followed.

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