Kwame A Plus to lay a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to criminalise paternity fraud

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Makay
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MP for Gomoa Central Kwame A-Plus

Gomoa Central MP Kwame Asare Obeng, commonly known as Kwame A Plus, has announced plans to lay a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to criminalise paternity fraud.

The Private Member’s Bill is proposing jail terms for women who knowingly mislead men into raising children who are not biologically theirs, and possibly introducing mandatory DNA testing after birth.

Kwame A Plus, speaking on United Showbiz, explained what he sought to achieve with the bill, saying, “Any child that is born needs to know his father and mother. I know of a man who has birthed 5 children. He is now 70 years just recently learned that four of the children are not his, just one was his.

I know of someone also, who was taking his children abroad, when they went for a DNA test, the woman went to the lawyers and said she was not going to do any DNA test, and she disclosed that the children are not the man’s. The man was abroad, thinking he had four children here and was spending on them”.

He added, “Yesterday I heard Kofi Bentil say when the law is passed, it means we are going to crimalised adultry as a crime, we are not trying to prevent anyone from cheating in their marriage or in a relationship.

The bill we are taking to parliament, we are not thinking about it now; it is already drafted, and we are going to present it”.

Also, a netizen identified as Abena Manokekame, who shared the news, stated, “A Plus (MP for Gomoa Central) is planning to bring a new law to Parliament to make paternity fraud a crime.

In simple terms, he wants women who knowingly lie about who a child’s real father is and make a man raise a child that isn’t his to face jail time.

He’s also suggesting that DNA tests could become mandatory after birth, so the real father is always known from the start.

Let me go and dust my markers and papers. It’s time to start making some noise”.

The Gomoa Central MP’s proposed legislation to Parliament has sparked public debate over whether such a law would be healthy for Ghanaian society.

Some netizens reacting to Kwame A Plus bill stated, “The moment I saw that the bill included possible jail time, I knew it was dead on arrival. A Private Member’s Bill should not impose any financial burden on the Consolidated Fund, as Article 108 of the Constitution clearly forbids it”.

“He should also propose a jail term for men who deliberately sleep with women knowing very well they won’t cater for them or their young ones”, a netizen added.

“Who’s going to pay for the mandatory DNA testing? Can’t be the gov’t, this is a private member’s bill.

Can’t be the parents, they’re too expensive to compel Ghanaians to pay for.

What is the plan for increasing the nation’s capacity to handle that sharp increase in DNA testing?”, one more X user added.

“Jail term won’t be possible cos how can she take care of the child from jail but mandatory DNA is a win win”, a netizen added.

One Ghanaian added, “It’s a good bill, but my humble suggestion is that the DNA test must be conducted on both the man and the woman to ascertain the authenticity of the test. Baby swaps happen a lot at the hospitals”.

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