Youth urged to be gainfully employed before entering into marriage

Young people have been encouraged to pursue higher education and gain employment before entering into marriage as the marital journey require regular financial assistance from both spouses.

Felicity Mawuli Adobea, the Girl-child Education Officer, Ningo-Prampram District, said when only one person provided that support, many difficulties occurred.

“There is a time and place for everything in this world and so you need to take your time to seek formal or informal training to become responsible adults,” she said during a mentorship programme, sponsored by the Department of Gender, under the Ministry of Children, Gender and Social Protection.

“The right things should be done at the right time; sex is good, but it’s not meant for children; it’s meant for those of us who are working and married,” Mrs Mawuli Adobea said.

She explained that early sexual activity may potentially divert attention from pursuing one’s ambitions to what was not planned.

“The most crucial thing is that you work before getting married because if you are careless and show up at a man’s house with no money, you will get into difficulties,’’ she said.

“You have one or two children; your child is sick and you can’t afford paracetamol syrup; you have to go ask the man for money. There’s no salt, pepper, money for breakfast, studies fees etc. What do you anticipate the man to do?”

The incapacity of women in such a settings to significantly contribute to the survival of the marriage led to mistreatment of women, Mrs Adobea said.

When girls were committed to pursuing higher education, the prevalence of forced marriage would decrease, she said, adding, however, that in situations where the girls started to elude their parents and led meaningless lives, some parents would force them into marriage.

Education gave women the ability to be autonomous and supportive in all pursuits, the officer noted, and advised the girls to speak up for themselves and avoid truancy, idleness, rudeness and early cohabitation.