A Probit Analysis of Brideprice Inflation in the Abuakwa-Tanoso Communities Marriage Market in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana (Published)
The paper used the probit model to explore the determinants of brideprice inflation in the Abuakwa-Tanoso communities’ marriage market in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. The results indicate that Christianity, modernity, educational status of the bride and no regulation governing the operations of the marriage market have greatly contributed to the rising brideprice inflation in these communities. Inflated brideprice payment as currently being practiced in the Abuakwa-Tanoso communities’ marriage market can curtail the liberties of the bride to a large extent. Although high brideprice payment could be interpreted as an explicit recognition and valuing of women’s productivity and contribution to marriage, the paper asserts that this serves to limit women’s control over their bodies and could be link to the issue of increasing domestic violence abuse against female spouse because the women fear to return to their natal home because of their inability to repay the brideprice. The paper recommends that an appropriate authority be established to regulate the marriage market in the Abuakwa-Tanoso communities.
Keywords: Abuakwa-Tanoso, Communities, brideprice inflation, female spouse, marriage market