Condemning attacks on women selectivity bad - Shirley Botchway

Ghanaians should be even-handed and non-discriminatory in their condemnation of persons, who attack female personalities in the country, says Anyaa-Sowutuom Member of Parliament, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway.

Ms Botchway said the tendency of the general public to be hypercritical of some individuals, who abuse women while others are let off the hook for the same offence, did not feel right, adding it conveyed a signal that some victims of such treatment were more important than others.

Her comments were in response to a question on why female politicians in the country had not been commenting on the allegation by Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong that Electoral Commission (EC) boss Charlotte Osei had bartered sex for her position.

Speaking on Accra100.5FM on Ghana Yensom, the station’s breakfast show, Monday July 11, Ms Botchway said: “Any attack on anybody is unfortunate…including the attack on her (Mrs Osei). But you do not decide that because there has been an attack on this person, we are going to rally behind that person. This person has been attacked, but is the other one not human?

“…We were in this country when other people, other women of substance were attacked. Nobody said anything; so is one person a better human being than the other. We must condemn things across board [and] not be picky when it comes to some people and when it comes to others, give them to the dogs. It’s not the right thing to do,” she said.

The lawmaker, who launched her campaign to retain the seat on Saturday July 9, however, refused to directly condemn Mr Agyapong’s comments, explaining it was not part of the reasons she was called unto the show.