One of the important laws promulgated by the erstwhile Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) is the Intestate Succession Law of 1985. The law came to supersede all existing customary edicts and conventions that caused untold misery to widows in terms of the distribution of property of husbands who died intestate.
Twenty-four years has since elapsed and everybody agrees that although the intestate Succession Law came to save bereaved wives from hardship and dejection after the death of their husbands, the law needs to be amended or supported by yet another law, so that women in marriage and relationships would feel even more secure and protected.
The Attorney-General and Minister of justice has, in pursuit of this, called on gender advocates to intensify campaign on the property rights aspect of the yet-to-be introduced Spouses Bill to enable women at the grassroots to be abreast of the bill.
According to her, an appropriate law was the only way to deter relatives of dead spouses from taking undue advantage of the ignorance of surviving spouses, particularly women, to harass and deprive them of property.
Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu who was addressing a day’s protocol meeting organized by the African Women Lawyers Association (AWAL) Ghana, said despite the intestate Succession Law, women continued to suffer in the hands of relatives of deceased spouses.
She hinted that the new bill would make room for cohabitation, marital agreement, concepts to separate property, gifts and debts incurred by a spouse before and after marriage.
We of The Spectator are aware of something ugly currently happening in the house of a deceased man. Soon after he passed away the house has become inundated with uncles and nephews, asking for the keys to cars and to vaults and wardrobes, whatever.
In short, these relatives are harassing the widow and forcing her out of the home she and her husband’s set up.
We are yet to ascertain whether the man died intestate or had a will over his property. Whatever it is, nobody should have the right over another’s property unless as determined by law.
The Spectator, therefore, supports the new bill that is yet to be introduced. It should, however, be well-thought through, so that wives are accorded their legitimate rights as spouses, but to do not use the law as a licence to hand over their husbands like and albatross.
