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Stay away from abusive relationships — DOVVSU
The Head of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police service in the Upper West Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adongo Apiiya has encouraged women to flee abusive relationships and marriages before they were visited with perpetual harm.
He explained that although domestic abuse could be suffered by either partner in a relationship, the issue was very prevalent among women given their biological and physiological make-up.
“When the husband hits you for the first time, do not let it slide, talk over it, make sure to get proper compensation for that singular act because condoning violence with the hope that the person will change has led to the deaths of some women whereas others had developed mental issues”, he said.
ASP Apiiya said this at a meeting of community and institutional stakeholders on Gender and Sexual Based Violence at Wa on Monday.
His comment came at the backdrop of recent media reports of spousal killings in the country with mostly women at the receiving end.
“Domestic violence is punishable by law but if you allow yourself to be tortured by your spouse to the point of no repair, the law may of course take its course but you may never regain your old self and in instances where the victims die, there is no law under this earth that can bring the person back to life so personal safety should come first”, he admonished.
ASP Apiiya recounted instances where victims had reported abuse cases to DOVVSU and the perpetrators had been dealt with according to the law but the victims remained maimed for life.
“I am not in any way asking that you leave your relationships or marriages at the least provocation but then you need to talk over issues and ensure that no violent act is gone unpunished; if it is becoming unbearable, you can seek help from DOVVSU, the Department of Gender Social Welfare, Legal Aid and others; we can handle the issue promptly to avoid further harm”, he said.
He defined domestic violence as “a pattern of behaviour that frightened, intimidated, humiliated, manipulated or hurt another person in an intimate relationship including marriage, cohabitation, dating or relations within the family.”
He categorised the abuses into physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic violence and said either of the aforementioned had the tendency of causing either physical, emotional or mental harm to the sufferer.
In reference to the 1992 Constitution, ASP Apily, expressed that the Domestic Violence Act, 2007, Act 732 made provisions for the police to apply for protection, court order, free medical care, among others for victims of domestic abuse.
He encouraged women not to shield their abusive spouses in order to safeguard their physical and mental wellbeing.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
