By Gilbert Azeem Tiroog, GNA
Bolgatanga, April 1, GNA – Ms. Rita Mbamah, The Upper East Regional Gender Desk Officer at the Ghana Education Service, has expressed concern over rising cases of defilement involving minors in the region.
According to her, six children, all below the age of 16, were currently victims in ongoing defilement cases.
She said the cases, recorded between July 2025 and March 2026, were spread across Talensi District, Bawku Municipality, and Bolgatanga Municipality, with all victims being school-going children.
Ms Abamah disclosed this during a Regional Review Meeting on the Essential Services Package (ESP) for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), organised by the Department of Gender with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and held in Bolgatanga.
Providing details, Ms Abamah described a disturbing incident in the Bolgatanga Municipality where two primary school girls were allegedly defiled by their own teacher.
“These are children who are supposed to be under the care and protection of their teachers, yet the same person entrusted with that responsibility abused them,” she said.
She noted that the suspect had been arrested and granted bail, with the case currently pending before the court.
The Gender Desk Officer said the incident came to light after one of the victims confided in her mother, leading to further disclosure and police intervention.
In the Bawku Municipality, she said a suspect accused of defiling two girls was currently at large, while in the Talensi District, one suspect had been arrested, and another was being pursued by the police.
Ms Abamah stressed the urgent need for justice in these cases to serve as a deterrent, especially for persons in positions of trust.
“If teachers, who are supposed to act as parents and protect these children, are rather the ones abusing them, then it means our children are not safe,” she lamented.
She further called on victims to be encouraged to speak up, noting that the courage shown by the two girls in the Bolgatanga case should inspire others facing similar abuse to report.
However, she identified stigma, financial constraints, and family pressure as major barriers preventing many parents from reporting such cases or pursuing them to conclusion.
“Some parents fear that their children will be stigmatized, while others withdraw cases because the perpetrator is a relative or due to pressure to settle out of court,” she explained.
Mr James Twene, the Acting Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, underscored the need for collective responsibility in addressing SGBV and protecting vulnerable children.
He said while the region had made some progress through collaboration among institutions, interference by some community members and families continued to undermine efforts to secure justice for victims.
“If we do not allow the appropriate institutions to handle these cases, we will continue to violate the rights of women and girls,” he stated, urging the public to support reporting and prosecution processes.
Mr Twene also called for stronger commitment from stakeholders despite existing resource constraints, noting that coordinated efforts remained key to improving service delivery for survivors.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from DOVVSU, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, and Legal Aid, to assess progress, share experiences, and strengthen coordination in addressing SGBV in the region.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagal/Kenneth Odeng Adade