Diplomats join campaign against domestic violence

The Chargé d'Affairs of Columbia embassy, Ms. Claudia Milena Milena Vaca Murcia, Ms. Chris Carlisle, Director of international narcotics and law enforcement affairs at the USA Embassy, Mr. Abel Antonio Cardenas Tuppia, Peru Ambassador to Ghana, Mr.Amer Al Alawi, Chargé d'Affairs at the UAE Embassy, and Mrs.Stephanie Sullivan, Former US Ambassador to Ghana have joined the humanitarian advocacy against domestic violence in Ghana.

The Founder of Humanity Magazine, Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, said he is seeking the platform of the big voices so as to create national awareness against the assault and abuse of the voiceless in our communities.

He reechoed his appeal to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo to scrap the medical cost of violent abuse cases.

Speaking in a press briefing in Accra, Mr. Alhassan said, Ghana is currently reeling and trending on the prevalent cases of domestic violence.

He further said the pain and financial difficulties of paying for the cost of medical diagnosis at a public hospital, charged by a public medical officer before issuing a report for a visibly impaired victim prevents the assaulted from pursuing justice.

“Victims are required to pay at least an amount of 400 Cedis, excluding transportation, to have their medical forms signed as a step for Ghana police to arrest the culprit. The inability to incur such a ridiculous cost at distress time forced victims to leave their agony to God, and this unfortunate development is very common in Ghana”.

The poor are mostly assaulted

“It’s worth noting that in our communities, those beaten or assaulted are mostly from a poor background, hence, defenseless and helpless; and therefore, to require such a traumatized person to cough such an amount, it’s a clear denial of the patient’s rights to pursue fairness”, he stressed.

Mr. Alhassan said, the group believes the rights of the vulnerable is a cause closer to the heart of the President, and therefore, appealed to President Akufo Addo’s focal and vocal action for the protection of the weak.

Whilst thanking the personalities involved in the humanitarian campaign, he also urged other civil societies, and stakeholders to join hands for making a cost-free process for justice to prevail.

In a related development, the Humanity organization together with Madinatu Latokpa and Rafiatu Latokpa assisted with the medical cost of 16year old Kande Firdaus Iddrisu with her 6month old who was assaulted by Baba Alhaji at Mamobi in Accra.

Mr. Alhassan said the medical cost and arrangement for his arrest at Nima Police Division would have been difficult if not for the assistance of the organization, despite the glaring injuries of the victim.

In a related development, the Humanity organization together with Madinatu Latokpa and Rafiatu Latokpa assisted with the medical cost of 16year old Kande Firdaus Iddrisu with her 6month old who was assaulted by Baba Alhaji at Mamobi in Accra.

Mr. Alhassan said the medical cost and arrangement for his arrest at Nima Police Division would have been difficult if not for the assistance of the organization, despite the glaring injuries of the victim.

Photos: The Chargé d'Affairs of Columbia embassy, Ms. Claudia Milena Milena Vaca Murcia, Ms. Chris Carlisle, Director of international narcotics and law enforcement affairs at the USA Embassy, Mr. Abel Antonio Cardenas Tuppia, Peru Ambassador to Ghana, Mr.Amer Al Alawi, Chargé d'Affairs at the UAE Embassy, and Mrs.Stephanie Sullivan, Former US Ambassador to Ghana: Ms.Madinatu Latokpa, with the victim’s 6-month-old baby at the police station.And Kande Firdaus Iddrisu, after medical treatment.