Parliament must do more than accept MP's apology – Obaa Yaa Frimpong

Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-USA Branch, Obaa Yaa Frimpong, has called on Parliament to take institutional action over comments made by the Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South East, Yakubu Mohammed, to a primary school pupil during an educational visit to the House.

In a statement dated July 31, 2026, she argued that the MP's public apology, while necessary, was not enough to address what she described as an institutional failure in Parliament's duty of care towards children participating in official programmes.

According to Obaa Yaa Frimpong, Parliament must go beyond the apology and ensure accountability through its established disciplinary processes.

'I will marry you' comment was a cultural joke - Ahafo Ano South East MP

"An apology is a private act of contrition. It does nothing to establish that Parliament — the institution that invited this child onto its premises for civic education — takes its duty of care toward children seriously," she said.

She called for the matter to be referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for investigation, arguing that conduct directed at a child during an official parliamentary programme should be subjected to a formal ethics review.

She also urged the Speaker's Office to issue a public reprimand, stating that parliamentary leadership should clearly indicate that such conduct falls below the standards expected of Members of Parliament.

Beyond disciplinary measures, Obaa Yaa Frimpong proposed a review of Parliament's school-excursion programme to introduce child safeguarding protocols governing interactions between MPs and visiting minors.

She further advocated mandatory child protection training for Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff involved in educational outreach programmes.

Additionally, she called on Parliament to offer direct support to the affected child and her family, including access to counselling where necessary.

According to her, the incident should not be viewed as an isolated inappropriate remark but as one that raises broader concerns about safeguarding children in public institutions.

"This is not really a story about one embarrassing comment. It is a story about what happens when a position of institutional trust is used to plant an idea in a child's mind that she is old enough to be evaluated as a future wife," she stated.

She maintained that Parliament's response should focus on preventing similar incidents in the future, stressing that while an apology may end public discussion of the matter, institutional reforms would better protect children participating in parliamentary programmes.

Her comments follow public backlash over a video showing the MP telling a young girl during a civic education visit to Parliament that she was beautiful and that he would marry her when she grew up, before referring to her as "his wife" in the presence of her classmates.

The MP later apologised, admitting that his remarks were inappropriate and had caused distress to the child, her family and the public.

MRA/JE

Lawyer Maurice Ampaw on judicial corruption, national issues and Christian faith