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FGM perpetrators devise new methods
The Director at the Department of Gender in the Upper West Region, Mrs Charity Banye has hinted that perpetrators of the heinous Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have devised subtle ways of plying their profession on innocent babies without necessarily resorting to physical cut.
She explained that due to increased sensitisation against the practice, these perpetrators had silently introduced a process called “Hot Press” to get rid of the clitorises of new born babies even before they developed into adults.
“With this hot press, the person in charge applies shea butter to a hot object and massages the clitoris with the object regularly until it finally diminishes or disappears with time”, she explained.
Mrs Banye was speaking at Wa on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting to consolidate efforts aimed at ending FGM. The meeting which was at the instance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was part of activities to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance against FGM on the theme “Accelerating Investment to end Female Genital Mutilation”.
Mrs Banye explained that FGM was the partial or total removal of the clitoris from the genitals of a female mostly for cultural reasons aimed at purportedly making the girl chaste.
She said that due to increased education on the legal consequences of the act, perpetrators had shifted away from cutting the organ to using hot substances and said it behoved on stakeholders to also devise more strategic ways of dealing with the menace.
“The figures are looking gloomy globally because it has been estimated that about four million girls could suffer FGM annually and so it leaves much to be desired especially when we consider the quantum of effort we have devoted to fighting the menace in time past”, she lamented.
She explained that although the idea behind the practice was to make women chaste, it was interesting to note also that the same practice was making more men morally unsound as most men married to victims of FGM with low sexual libido, cheated on their wives.
The Regional Commander at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, DVVSU, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ASP) Adoingo Apiiya, also called for collaboration between the Ghana Health Service and the police to identify and arrest perpetrators of FGM.
“When a girl-child is brought to the health centre, the medical staff can help check whether the child had undergone FGM or not so that the parents of such child can immediately be picked up for questioning”, he said.
He believed such stringent measures would help end the menace which was considered constitutionally and globally a human rights violation.
The Programme Specialist/Head with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) decentralised office at Tamale in the Northern Region, Alhaji Mammah Tenii appealed to the stakeholders to join hands and help end FGM in Ghana.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
