The Executive Director of Child Rights International, Board Member of the Global Campaign for Education, and Chairman of GNNEC, Bright Appiah, has called for the law to deal ruthlessly with a 50-year-old man accused of defiling and impregnating a 14-year-old minor.
The suspect allegedly forced the victim to undergo an abortion following the assault.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Appiah issued a stern warning to opinion leaders and influential figures in Tamale. He cautioned them against attempting to interfere with the judicial process or seeking to settle the matter privately.
The suspect, identified as Alhaji Abdul Aziz, is expected to face the full rigours of the law for his actions against the victim, who is currently in the hospital fighting for her life.
“The victim is a minor and protected by the constitution,” Appiah stated. “She is not even qualified to engage in any sexual activity. This is purely an abuse that threatens her survival, education, and wellbeing.”
Mr. Appiah further argued that the medical facility involved in conducting the illegal abortion must be investigated.
He expressed deep concern over the trend of “naming and shaming” those who attempt to shield predators from justice.
“The next point I want to raise is that for opinion leaders, chiefs, and influential personalities who go about begging to have such cases settled at home: desist from doing that. As an organization, we will be dealing with these issues this year. We cannot continue to allow people to go about pleading to have issues of this nature settled at home.
We will begin to name and shame people like that because when individuals abuse the rights of children, we have to deal with them in accordance with the law. If we refuse to do that, we deny the children and victims an opportunity for rehabilitation and do a disservice to the future.”
Beyond the legal proceedings, the advocate underscored the urgent need for Ghana to strengthen its social protection initiatives to support victims of defilement and other forms of abuses.
He noted that other nations utilize specialized institutions and alternative support systems that empower children to report abuse safely.
He called for a structural shift in how Ghana approaches child welfare: “We have to revisit our social protection policies and programmes because the initial concept we used in building our social protection systems is purely hinged on social welfare principles… We have social intervention and social investment. Clearly, if we combine both and implement them well, we will have systems that will empower our children, rehabilitate them, and make them stronger.”
Mr. Appiah concluded by reiterating that children must be protected from predators and human rights abusers, regardless of the perpetrator’s status or social connections.
A 50-year-old man, Alhaji Abdul Aziz, has been remanded in custody for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl.
The victim is hospitalised and receiving medical treatment and psychological counseling.
The incident has shocked the local community, with residents demanding justice and stringent action against the suspect.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
