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Forcing rapists to marry defiled victims not acceptable – Traditional leader
Nana Ogyedom Tetsewah I
Men who defile girl children should be reported to the police but not allow them to marry their victims to cover up their evil deeds.
According to the Osumpahen of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Council, Nana Ogyedom Ama Tsetsewah I, giving such men the choice to make the young ones their wives is an endorsement of their actions which does not augur well for society.
In an interview with The Spectator on Tuesday which was the International Day of the Girl Child, she said the practice in some communities did not deter the culprits from the unfortunate act but rather encouraged them to continue their actions.
Nana Ogyedom Tetsewah I said children must feel free and safe to move about in their communities and be given the opportunity to enjoy their childhood instead of living in fear.
She said child marriage should never be a reward for children who had been defiled and become pregnant.
She said the theme of this year’s event ” Our Time is Now – Our Rights Our Future” was apt and stated that, what needed to be done was community vigilance to fish out those who defiled the girl-children because such persons were a threat to both the present and future generations who would be robbed of their chances to realise their dreams of becoming responsible citizens.
She said a number of girls had been forced to drop out of school as a result of pregnancy by the actions of unscrupulous men.
“Imagine marrying someone who forced to have sex with you and also is as old as your father or grandfather” she said.
She said that society’s commitment to the fight against child marriage was currently nothing to write home about therefore, and so there was the need for all and sundry to get on board and fight against this canker because girls must also be given an equal opportunity to lead.
The Osumpahen appealed to traditional, religious leaders and the Ghana Police Service to get actively involved in the education of the public against child marriage to promote the rights of the girl-child.
From DzifaTettehTay, Tema.
The Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has disbursed GHS134,000 to 22 students under the latest round of his Scholarship and Bursaries Programme.
According to a statement from his office, the 22 beneficiaries are enrolled in 16 tertiary institutions across the country.
They are studying various courses, including medicine, marketing, law, public health, midwifery, business administration, education, and secretaryship.
The MP’s office commended the beneficiaries, especially the five students currently studying medicine and physician assistantship, encouraging them to remain committed to their studies.
The statement indicated that the scholarship initiative, which began in 2017, aims to support brilliant but needy students from the Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency to further their education. So far, about 700 students have benefited from the program.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Four tricycle operators, popularly known as ‘Pragya’, have been prosecuted and fined GH¢600 each equivalent to 50 penalty units by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Court for obstructing public roads at the Agbogbloshie Market.
The offenders, who were arrested by Public Health Officers of the AMA during a routine enforcement exercise, pleaded guilty to the offence and were subsequently convicted by the court.
The four operators were among the 21 offenders recently arrested at the Agbogbloshie Market for various sanitation and public order violations, including selling on open drains, obstructing walkways, and trading at unauthorised locations.
Speaking after the court proceedings, the Head of Public Health at the AMA, Madam Florence Kuukyi, said the court was lenient with the offenders since it was their first appearance, hence the fine, and warned that subsequent offenders would face stiffer penalties, including imprisonment.
