Anum chiefs and Obaapa Foundation oppose child marriage at 2025 Odweogyi Festival

Correspondence from Eastern Region

The Anum Traditional Area in the Eastern Region has declared a community-wide commitment to end child marriage and protect the rights of young girls, using this year’s Odweogyi Festival as a rallying point for social transformation.

Partnering with the Obaapa Development Foundation, traditional leaders unveiled a GH₵10 million education fund to support girls’ education and eliminate harmful cultural practices that threaten the future of Ghana’s youth.

The people of Anum have made a firm declaration to protect their children and end child marriage, marking a new chapter in the community’s social development.

The powerful pledge was made during the grand durbar of the 2025 Odweogyi Festival, held on Friday, October 31, under the theme, “Innovation, tradition and development commitment to curbing adolescent pregnancy and ending harmful practices including child marriage in Ghana: One Paramountcy at a Time.”

The annual Odweogyi Festival, traditionally a celebration of Anum’s rich cultural heritage and unity, took on a deeper purpose this year — becoming a platform for advocacy, social reflection, and a renewed commitment to safeguarding the future of young people.



In his keynote address, the Paramount Chief of Anum, Akusiaku-Brempong Kumi Sasraku VIII, urged parents, teachers, and community leaders to join forces to end practices that endanger children’s welfare and education.

He expressed grave concern about declining academic performance, particularly recent Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, which he said reflected a broader social crisis.

“Our last BECE results weren’t good. We were once known for academic excellence, but now we are living in the past,” the Chief lamented.

“If we don’t address this problem, our community will have no future.”

The Chief reaffirmed his commitment to working with families and educators to restore discipline, promote learning, and empower children — especially girls — to achieve their potential.

As part of this agenda, the Anum Traditional Council, in partnership with the Obaapa Development Foundation, announced the establishment of a GH₵10 million education fund.

The fund will provide scholarships and financial support for young people, particularly girls, to ensure they have access to quality education and opportunities to build meaningful lives.



Representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Wilfred Ochan, the agency’s Resident Representative in Ghana, commended the Anum Traditional Area for taking a bold stand.

He noted that empowering adolescent girls to make informed decisions about their lives was essential for national progress.

“When we empower a girl, we strengthen an entire family, a community, and a nation,” Dr Ochan stated, adding that Ghana cannot achieve sustainable development without protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls.



Delivering a heartfelt address, Nana Hemaa Awindor, Executive Director of the Obaapa Development Foundation, commended the Paramount Chief, Queenmother, and elders of Anum for their steadfast leadership and commitment to the cause.

“This durbar is not merely an event — it is a call to conscience,” she said.

“Teenage pregnancy and child marriage are not just social challenges; they are threats to our collective future. Our traditions, when rightly guided, are not barriers; they are bridges. Let us use our ancestral wisdom to end harmful practices and nurture customs that uplift, protect, and empower.”

Nana Hemaa emphasised that ending child marriage requires more than policy — it demands compassion, courage, and community unity.

She called on chiefs, queenmothers, and opinion leaders to use their influence in palaces, markets, and homes to advocate for the protection of children and to ensure that no girl is denied education or a chance at a fulfilling life.

The event also drew strong government support.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Awatey, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development,

praised traditional leaders for using the festival as a platform for social change.

She reiterated the government’s commitment to ending child marriage, describing it as both a human rights violation and a driver of poverty.

“Every child deserves the right to grow up free from fear and realise their dreams,” she said.

Ghana continues to grapple with child marriage, which affects one in every five girls before the age of 18.

Poverty, limited educational opportunities, and certain traditional practices have sustained the problem for decades.

The Anum declaration, therefore, represents a major step toward reversing this

trend and setting an example for other traditional areas to follow.

As the Odweogi Festival came to a close, the atmosphere in Anum was filled with hope and resolve.



The 2025 celebration will be remembered not only for its cultural grandeur but also as a turning point in the community’s determination to protect its youth and build a future free from harmful practices.

“Together, we transform our cultural heritage into a force for healing and hope,” Nana Hemaa declared.

“Let this durbar mark a renewed covenant — to lead with compassion, act with courage, and leave no child behind.”