The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, is preparing to lay before Parliament a Private Member’s Bill seeking to criminalise paternity fraud in Ghana.
According to information available, the proposed legislation aims to introduce criminal sanctions against individuals who deliberately misrepresent the paternity of a child, resulting in a man assuming financial and parental responsibility for a child who is not biologically his.
Paternity fraud occurs when a man is made to believe he is the biological father of a child when, in fact, he is not, often leading to long-term financial obligations and parental responsibility built on incorrect or concealed information.
The bill is being sponsored by a Ghanaian lawyer and immigration specialist Chris-Vincent Agyapong, together with a group of collaborators. It is expected to propose custodial sentences for cases where paternity fraud is proven to have been intentional and deceptive.
Sources indicate that the draft legislation may also include a provision for mandatory DNA testing immediately after childbirth, as part of efforts to prevent disputes and ensure biological certainty at birth.
Proponents of the bill argue that the law is necessary to protect men from long-term financial and emotional consequences arising from misrepresented paternity, describing such situations as both legally and psychologically damaging.
In some jurisdictions, paternity fraud carries severe penalties. In Australia, for example, related offences can attract prison terms of up to ten years, depending on the circumstances and applicable laws.
If formally introduced, the proposed bill is expected to spark significant national debate, touching on legal, ethical, cultural, and gender-related considerations.
As a Private Member’s Bill, the proposal would require broad parliamentary support before it can proceed through the legislative process.
