In the wake of rampant deaths being recorded in the country, the question of “Who owns the dead body?”—a deeply personal yet legally complex issue—will be the key issue at the Marriage Governance Conference 2025.
Slated for Tuesday, 19 August 2025, at the Ghana Shippers Authority in Accra, experts from the judiciary, academia, traditional leadership, religion, and legal practice would debate whether or not Ghana’s laws should be reformed to reduce growing conflicts over burial rights.
The high-profile panel, formally titled “Who Owns the Dead Body? – Custom, Conflict, and the Fight for the Dead in Ghana: Is It Time for the Statute to Take Over?” will bring together leading voices from across the legal and cultural spectrum:
- Justice Yaw Oppong Kodie, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Director of the Ghana School of Law, and Manwerehene of Akyem Abuakwa (Omansunfuo Barima Oppong Kodiee)
- Ms. Vivian Lamptey, Family Law Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law and Managing Partner, Gavel and Cross
- Kwame Boafo Akufo, Private Legal Practitioner
- Sheik Irbard Ibrahim, Islamic scholar and peace advocate
- Rev. Jonathan Afrique Ahali, Pastor, ICGC and Robert Smith Law Group
It would be moderated by Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Budu, Dean of the GIMPA Law School.
Disputes over burial rights—often between spouses and extended families—have long strained Ghana’s courts, especially in cases involving competing customary claims, interfaith marriages, and blended families. This panel will explore whether it is time for the state to codify clear statutory rules to guide burial decisions, thereby reducing emotionally charged litigation.
The panel’s unique composition—featuring judges, academics, religious leaders, traditional authority, and practicing lawyers—ensures a 360-degree perspective on the issue, blending the weight of legal interpretation with cultural and spiritual considerations.
The 2025 Marriage Governance Conference, organised by MarryRight Ghana Ltd. in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General and the Registrar General’s Department, will be chaired by Hon. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Ghana and Founder and Life Patron of the African Women Lawyers Association–Ghana.
This year’s theme, “Legal Love, Recognized Rights: Rethinking Marriage Governance for a Future of Accountability, Digital Inclusion, and Cultural Harmony,” sets the tone for a day of high-level engagement, with additional sessions on fake marriage documents, the rise of “radio family courts,” rights of co-habitating partners, DNA testing at birth, mental health in marriage, and child support for adults with disabilities.
With an expected attendance of over 500 participants, the MGC extends an open invitation to professionals, traditional authorities, civil society groups, youth leaders, students, and the general public. Participation is free but requires advance registration due to limited seating.
