Posted by Chester Morton / Tuesday, 17 April 2018 / No comments
Some major causes of the breakdown of marriages in Ghana
THE BREAKDOWN OF MARRIAGES IN GHANA
Introduction
Divorce can be described as putting an end to the marriage
that previously existed between two married people. It is not a divorce if one
of the couple just moves out and says he or she is no more interested in the marriage.
The marriage ends when, if under traditional marriage, one party sends drinks
to the family of the other party, indicating that the marriage should be annulled
and it is actually annulled by the appropriate elders of both families. If it was a
marriage under the ordinance, only a judge acting under competent jurisdiction can
annul the marriage on very tenable grounds. In the last few decades, marriages in Ghana are no longer holding on as they used to do. Marriages are ending as fast as
they are being contracted. Available statistics indicate that in 2017, the
average rate of divorce was 4000 per year. Several reasons have been identified
as being the cause.
CAUSES OF THE BREAKDOWN IN MARRIAGE
Neglect of marital
responsibilities
As couples, each partner is expected to perform certain roles
in the family which, it is expected, would sustain the marriage. The man, for
example, is expected to provide security and protection for the family, provide
the resources needed by the family, such as school fees, hospital bills,
food and so on. The woman, on the other hand, is expected to care and nurture the
children, cook, wash, clean and generally help her husband in his economic
activities. The neglect of any or a combination of these roles can lead to a
breakdown in the marriage.
Domestic abuse or
violence
Where one of the spouses become violent, abuses the other
party physically, it can be a reason for the breakdown of the marriage. This
domestic abuse may stem from the lack of proper communication between the
couple. It may be over disagreements on how to raise or discipline the
children or most importantly on expenditure for household keepng.
Denial of sex
At a certain point in the marriage, one of the partners may withhold
sex from the other partner. This may be due to a myriad of reasons. Some women
do so because they think the husband is not providing the needs of the family
as he should. It could also be that she personally wants something from the man
but the man is not providing it. Withholding sex from a partner can lead to a breakdown in marriage.
Infidelity
Following from the previous reason, when a partner is denied
sex in the marriage, he or she may seek for it outside the marital home. This
may start to cause problems in the house. Sometimes however, infidelity is not
caused by the denial of sex. One party just becomes unfaithful for one reason or the other. When any of the parties starts seeing someone else, he or
she grows cold to the spouse at home. All these can form the grounds for a
breakdown in marriage.
Undue interference from
third-parties
There are marriages where undue interference in the marital
affairs of couples leads to a breakdown in the marriage. The basis for some of
these interference includes the demand of a grandchild, where the couple is
unable to bear children. It could also be the perception that the wife is
exploiting “our brother”. Sometimes, just frequent visits from family members
and overstaying their welcome, putting too much financial burden on the couple can cause problems.
All these can form a good ground for the breakdown of the marriage.
Impotence
If unfortunately the man becomes impotent, it could lead to a
breakdown of the marriage. An impotent man can never properly satisfy her wife.
No matter how steadfast the woman is, her sexual needs must be provided for one way
or the other. This can lead to suspicions on the part of the man so much so
that even when the wife is faithful, the husband may think that she s getting
satisfied by another man. This can lead to a breakdown in the marriage.
SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. a. What is divorce?
b. Highlight six causes of divorce in your country.
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