News
Tackling domestic abuse: Islamic Cleric calls for counseling units at mosques
An Islamic Cleric at Wa in the Upper West Region, Sheik Shaban Mohammed Alhassan has called for the establishment of counselling units at the various central mosques across the country, equipped with professional Islamic counsellors to attend to adherents with issues of domestic abuse.
The Cleric was of the view that as a result of customs, traditions and religious misinterpretations, many people who were abused in their marital homes, particularly women were unable to seek redress from the appropriate quarters and said a recognised unit at the mosque for that purpose would go a long way to assist such victims.
He said that a female victim of domestic violence with physical abuse and marital rape would be faulted by society if she reported the incident to the police and so would recoil and endure the pain, other than report the perpetrator to the law enforcers.
“When people are abused, they sometimes fall on the Clerics who may not necessarily be professional counsellors. There is the difference between giving advice and giving counselling; people who have been abused need professional help so a recognised unit dedicated for the purpose at our places of worship will go a long way to help adherents”, he said.
Sheik Alhassan made the call during a panel discussion on sexual and gender based violence at Wa. The programme which was organised by the Network for Young Women Empowerment (NYWE) sought to discuss issues of concern to women and empower them to report abuse cases in order to restore their sanity in society.
The cleric indicated that the provision of counselling units at the various mosques would provide an avenue for victims to report their cases for immediate action and said professionals were good at handling victims and keeping the issues to themselves.
“Abuse can lead to permanent physical and mental injuries and even deaths in some cases so it requires the necessary attention to ensure that victims receive help on time”, he said.
Sheik Alhassan stated that adherents would trust such centres and would not hesitate to approach them with their concerns and said even if the counsellors were unable to resolve the issues through counseling, they would encourage the victims to seek help from the right quarters.
He called on men to respect the rights of women, give them the platform to exhibit their capacities and also empower them economically in order to make them less vulnerable to abuse.
Adding his voice, the Head Pastor of the Ghana Baptist Convention at Wa, Reverend Amos Sunday, admonished husbands to love their wives as God had instructed in the Holy Bible and treat them with utmost respect.
He called for an end to physical abuse and domestic violence but advised that issues of misunderstanding should be resolved through negotiations and proper communication.
The chairperson of the NYWE, Ms Ida Nakaar, said her outfit was interested in empowering young ladies to stand up against abuses, demand for their rights and lobby for opportunity to participate in discussions that concerned their well-being.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
