Why no third party can demand a DNA test

Dr. Ntiamoah Mensah, an international women’s health advocate, has weighed in on the trending Mrs Abigail Aboagye DNA saga.

Dr. Mensah emphasised that apart from a woman’s partner, a competent court, or an administrative requirement, no one has the right to demand a DNA test for a child.

“My Dear Lady, apart from your partner, a competent court, or an administrative requirement, no one has the right to request a DNA test for your ward,” he said in a social media post sighted by MyNewsGh.

“In these times, babies are not made solely through the eggs and sperm of couples. Medical science has provided avenues for couples to have their own children, even if they are clinically challenged. It is therefore unacceptable for any third party to accuse a woman, even if the DNA does not match her partner’s.”

Dr. Mensah further explained that in some cases, the DNA of a child might not match either the mother or the father, and a mother resisting a third-party request for testing may be protecting both her privacy and that of her partner. He stressed that this stance does not deny mothership or fathership.

“This is a sensitive issue that society must approach with caution,” he concluded.

The statement comes amid renewed controversy surrounding the family of the late Samuel Aboagye, former Deputy National Director of NADMO and ex-NDC parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East, who are calling for a DNA test to confirm the paternity of his three-year-old daughter.

The Bretua family of Adansi Kwapia has petitioned the Obuasi Magistrate Court, requesting that the late Aboagye’s widow present the child for testing. The family argues that the widow has refused earlier requests, raising doubts about the child’s parentage.

Speaking to Adom News, Nana Kwabena Gyamra Yiakwan, Adansikwapiahene and spokesperson for the Bretua family, said the late Aboagye had expressed concerns about the child’s paternity years before his death.

“The late Samuel Aboagye expressed concerns about the child’s parentage long before his death. Since he passed away, the wife has repeatedly declined DNA testing. We simply want the truth, and a DNA test is the only way to confirm it,” Nana Kwabena Gyamra Yiakwan said.

The family further highlighted that the issue gained urgency following the helicopter crash that claimed Mr. Aboagye’s life, noting that DNA testing was also crucial in confirming victims’ identities. They insist that testing is the only reliable method to resolve the matter and clarify the true identity of the late deputy’s daughter.