Ho NGO receives backlash for exposing sexual abuse

“Pagus:Africa”, a non-governmental organization working in the Ho Airfield Basic School has scaled down its activities in the school.

This followed hostile reactions from the school, the local community and some officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) against the NGO for confirming cases of sexual abuse in the School to the Ghana News Agency.

The school was built by Pagus:Africa which also manages the school’s library.

Information available to the GNA indicated that some officials of GES criticized Pagus:Africa for talking to the media on the issue.

An official at the Regional Directorate of GES in an interview with GNA concerning the hostile reactions, described Pagus:Africa as a “suspicious NGO”.

The Chief of the community and a delegation from the School’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) also allegedly threatened an Officer of the NGO for confirming the allegation to the GNA.

Female pupils of the Ho Airfield Basic School were reportedly living in fear following alleged sexual harassment from their male teachers.

At least 10 girls have reported been sexually assaulted by three male teachers at different times this academic year.

A girl who was said to be have been impregnated by one of the teachers reportedly had to abort the pregnancy few weeks ago to be able to participate in the recent Basic Education Certificate Examinations.

A source at the School who briefed the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the teachers occasionally fondled the breasts of female students and touched their buttocks at the blind side other pupils.

The source said some of the teachers befriended the girls, some in class four and five and normally enticed them with money, which they tucked into their exercise books after marking them.

The source said a few of the girls reported the incident to a staff of Pagus:Africa, who also reported the issue to the School authorities and officials of GES.

When contacted, Mr Alexander Boadi, Acting Regional Director of Education confirmed the incident and said the Service was still investigating the issue while the teachers involved were transferred so they would not influence investigations.

Checks by GNA, however, showed that the teachers were still at post in the School.