Women are not legally obliged to adopt husband’s name

• Aborchie-Nyahe has said changing one’s name after marriage is a voluntary act

• The legal expert stated that such an action has no legal route

• She believes it is just a sign of honour to husbands

Director for Legal Assistance Network-Ghana, Irene Aborchie-Nyahe, has said there is no law that compels women to own the names of their husbands after marriage.

She made this statement on Joy News’ Sunday’s edition of The Law programme.

Responding to a question raised by a contributor of the show on whether or not his wife’s decision not to take on his surname had legal repercussions.

According to a contributor who identified himself as Tamakloe, his wife initially agreed to use the name after the marriage but later changed her mind and reverted to her maiden name.

He explained that he told his wife to combine both names (i.e. his surname and her Surname) as a compound name but she has refused, sticking to her decision to maintain her maiden name.

But in response, the Legal expert indicated that changing one’s name after marriage is a voluntary act.

“It’s just an honour done to the partner,” she said.

“There’s no law in Ghana that says that when you marry, change your name it is something you do voluntarily so I don’t think that the woman’s refusal to take on the man’s name is something wrong,” she added.