Paul Adom-Otchere blasts UNFPA Rep. for CSE comments

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Resident Representative, Niyi Ojuolape, has incurred the wrath of the host of Good Evening Ghana show on Metro TV, Paul Adom-Otchere, after the former said the implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) will prevent rape and teenage pregnancies in the country.

Lambasting him on national television, Mr. Adom-Otchere said Niyi Ojuolape’s justification is uncalled for and speaks low of him as he is noted to be a respectable person.

“And a supposedly intelligent person will make this assertion on public radio that we want to educate the girl so that they will know about their sexuality to prevent rape. Really? How are you going to prevent rape by that? Sometimes I get so shocked by some of these things I hear on radio and people that you expect to know a lot, UNFPA Representative in Ghana, to say this will prevent rape and thereby prevent teenage pregnancy?” he quizzed.

The UNFPA Country representative whilst on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show justified reasons why Ghanaians must accept the CSE curriculum explaining how incidences of rape and teenage pregnancies will reduce drastically once the course is approved.

According to him, “we’re in a context whereby teenage pregnancy is rampant. In the last one year between 75 to 85,000 teenage girls got pregnant in this country...those pregnancies were clearly results of rape,” so in order to prevent that from happening the CSE introduced by government will “give a girl and also boys the required information about self-confidence, assertiveness, ability to take responsibilities...so in short it will largely prevent rape, it will prevent teenage pregnancy and it will also enable them to take on the issues of hygiene and take it on appropriately.”

But reacting to this, the host of Good Evening Ghana blasted Mr. Ojuolape describing his words as ridiculous and illogical.

According to him, he got shocked, disappointed and extremely angry after listening to him on radio and questioned why a ‘whole’ respectable person like UNFPA’s representative will use this as a reason to defend the implementation of the CSE into our educational system.

“The UNFPA Regional Representative for Ghana, Niyi Ojuolape was on Joy FM this morning and I was totally shocked by some of the things he said. He said for instance that the Comprehensive Sexuality Education is intended to protect girls against rape. I was amazed I thought he didn’t understand the definition of rape. Rape is a forcible act and that is why it’s a crime...the extent of the victim’s knowledge about sex and about body organs and about sexuality has nothing to do with reducing the violence accustomed with rape. But he sat in the Joy FM studios and said that CSE was going to help girls to reduce rape. Really? A United Nations person speaks like that on public radio, does he understand rape?”

Adom-Otchere further ordered him to retract and apologise for making such unsavoury comments as his image is at stake.

“This is the most ridiculous defence I’ve heard for the CSE, totally ridiculous. The UN must apologise for saying that rape will be prevented by education of CSE, sexuality and all of that...That teenage pregnancy is on the rise because girls are unaware of their sexuality and that teenage pregnancy occasioned by a rape will be reduced and prevented when girls become aware of their sexuality? I’m not talking about the CSE; I’m just talking about the illogicality of his statement,” he said.

“Please, they should come back; the UNFPA should come back on this one. This is a very very serious matter. I was totally disappointed when I heard it...I mean beside myself with anger that such important people we look up to, you come on radio and they ask you that tell us why the CSE is important and you say 85,000 teenage pregnancies have occurred and so if we teach the girls sexuality through the CSE, they will be aware of it and prevent rape,” he added.

He further stated that although he’s heard the Education Minister and the Director of Ghana Education Service speak on this matter, none of them sounded absurd whilst trying to defend the new curriculum.

“I’ve heard the Minister speak, I’ve heard the Director of GES speak, they were not as ridiculous as this, this is totally ridiculous, it’s very very bad”.

Still criticising and chastising him, Adom-Otchere said “I’m sure that JHS people who were going to school sitting in their parents' car and listening will question the logic of what he’s saying because they have been taught that rape is a forcible conduct, violence conduct. It’s just like saying that if you know chemistry you can prevent armed robbery. Rape is like armed robbery and you prevent rape by knowing your sexuality? Mr. Niyi you must come back and explain properly. You are the UNFPA rep, that’s a very very important and sensitive position you hold in Ghana, for you to sit on radio and make such ridiculous and abysmal comment. You should never say that again”.