Child rape: Otiko must withdraw sensational comment – Activist

A renowned Professor of African and Gender Studies and a member of national domestic violence coalition, Akosua Adomako Ampofo, has called on the Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, to withdraw her comment that Civil society organisations are being sensational about issues of Rape and Defilement.

Otiko Djaba in a radio interview said ” I want to plead with the civil society organisations to stop sensationalizing issues and demanding instant justice. We must allow due process to take it process and it’s a national issue; we don’t put out fires like this one ‘gidigidi”.

Reacting to the comments, Prof.Ampofo told Francis Abban on Morning Starr that it will be prudent for the minister to take back her words over the issue.

“Yesterday I heard the minister on air and she said some good things but to say Civil Society Organizations are making the issues of Rape and Defilement sensational, and are taking it too ‘gidigidi'(in a haste)…I think she should come again. If I were Hon. Djaba, I would take my words back”.

“If your house is on fire do you not respond gidigidi? do you wait to follow processes, no, you act first, and you take the child out of the burning fire gidigidi before you begin investigations. We need to see this as cancer that is within our country and if we don’t deal with it in a very aggressive manner, in a very passionate manner forget about it. Yes, there might be some sensationalism because some media houses may be the first to report it but if what they are reporting is true forget about any drama around it and get to the aid of the victim”.

She also called on the government to intervene to ensure that the gender ministry does what it needs to do regarding the issue.