By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, Nov. 10, GNA – Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has strongly condemned the sexual abuse of children, describing perpetrators as “cheap men” who resort to exploiting vulnerable minors instead of engaging in responsible relationships.
Commenting on a statement presented by Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings on the need for the establishment of a National Sex Offenders Register, Mr Bagbin questioned why some men would defile young girls when Ghana had more women than men.
He cited a social media video in which some Ghanaian women returning from South Africa complained about the difficulty of finding men for relationships, saying there could be no justification for child sexual abuse.
The Speaker directed that the statement, together with the views of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, be forwarded to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to assist in developing a legal framework for the establishment of a National Sex Offenders Register.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology and Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, had earlier called for the urgent creation of the register to track convicted sexual offenders, protect children and vulnerable persons, and prevent repeat offences.
She said the increasing incidence of sexual abuse against children required urgent national attention and stronger accountability measures.
She urged Parliament to enact the necessary legislation to support the register, describing it as a critical tool for safeguarding vulnerable members of society.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings also appealed to traditional authorities, religious leaders, families and community influencers to refrain from intervening in sexual offence cases to secure the withdrawal or discontinuance of investigations and prosecutions.
Sexual crimes, particularly those involving children, stressed, should not be resolved through apologies, family settlements or compensation.
Citing official records, she said 1,132 cases of defilement and 297 cases of rape were recorded in 2025, alongside 10 attempted defilement cases and 16 attempted rape cases. In 2024, there were 1,296 defilement cases and 316 rape cases.
The figures, she noted, were disturbing and likely represented only a fraction of actual cases due to underreporting.
“Behind every statistic is a human being; a child or vulnerable person whose innocence has been violated and whose trust has been betrayed,” she said.
The legislator noted that many victims remained silent because of fear, stigma, intimidation, and pressure from families and communities.
According to Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, a National Sex Offenders Register would enable authorised institutions to conduct background checks on individuals seeking employment or positions involving close interaction with children.
It would also help prevent convicted offenders from relocating to other communities or institutions where they could gain access to potential victims.
Source: Ghana News Agency (GNA)
