The Senior Pastor of the New Creation Chapel International, Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, has strongly advised against prospective couples jointly investing in a property or a business ahead of their marriage.

He said it is not an advisable venture.

Similarly, would-be couples are not supposed to live their lives as though there are married, and assume responsibilities expected of married couples.

Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, also the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ghana, gave the advice on Joy FM’s Home Affairs programme on Saturday October 15. He was responding to the question of whether a man must assume responsibility for a woman’s needs while they are courting.

“I have this strong view that before you’re married, don’t live your life as if you are married, and it covers every area,” he said.

“I advise couples that… for instance, the guy would say come and cook for me. You are not married to the person; or I want to have sex with you and those things. Don’t live as if you are married, if you are not married.”

Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh said there is very sound counsel in the maxim ‘Invest in your husband, not your boyfriend’, and cited the examples of two different couples who jointly funded projects while courting - one buying a piece of land together, while the other couple decided to build a house together ahead of their marriage.

“They got to a point where the relationships broke down and they had to go their separate ways. The question is what happens to that investment?

“It’s not advisable. If you are not married, don’t live as if you are married. For me that is the starting point, the foundation. … If you are dating, how you handle money matters is to be transparent, talk about it but don’t live as husband and wife. So the woman should not expect that the guy will be taking care of her bills, her rent…It doesn’t mean that the man shouldn’t express his affection and support in very tangible ways, that’s not what I’m saying, I’m just saying that it shouldn’t be an obligation, that you have to do it, I don’t have to do it because I’m not married to you.

We are all working our way towards being joined together as husband and wife. I will strongly disagree that during courtship or dating, the issue of one person taking responsibility should come in.”

Also on the programme were Ariel the wellness coach, and Phoebe Gbesemete, family life counselor.

Home Affairs, hosted by Edem Knight-Tay, runs every Saturday morning from 6:15 - 7:30am and focuses on fostering happy marriages and building strong family ties and homes, as well as making informed relationship choices.