The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called on Parliament to urgently consider establishing a National Sex Offenders Register, following 1,462 reported cases of sexual offences in Ghana in 2025.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings called for stronger measures to protect children and other vulnerable persons, arguing that the country's response to sexual abuse must go beyond public condemnation and existing legal provisions.

According to figures she presented to the House, Ghana recorded 1,132 cases of defilement, 297 rape cases, 10 attempted defilement cases and 16 attempted rape cases in 2025.

A further seven cases were recorded under the offence of carnal knowledge of a female with mental incapacity, bringing the total to 1,462.

She cautioned that the figures represented only cases officially reported and registered, suggesting that the actual scale of sexual abuse could be considerably higher.

Fear, intimidation, stigma and pressure from families and communities, she noted, could prevent victims from reporting abuse and seeking justice.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings expressed concern about what she described as a recurring pattern in which public anger over sexual abuse cases dies down after media attention fades, with little sustained action to address the problem.

“We cannot continue to express outrage whenever another child is violated, only to return to business as usual when the headlines fade,” she told Parliament.

“Our children should not have to be extraordinarily brave simply to be safe,” she added.

She argued that establishing a national register would strengthen accountability and help prevent convicted sexual offenders from moving between communities and institutions without appropriate scrutiny.

The proposed register would provide a mechanism for authorised institutions to conduct background checks and take preventive measures, particularly in environments where children and other vulnerable people are at risk.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings urged Parliament and relevant state institutions to give the proposal urgent consideration and strengthen the country's existing child protection systems.

She also called for a clear legal framework to guide the register's operation, including safeguards to ensure that its use respects due process and the rights of individuals.

Any register, under such a framework, would need to distinguish between people accused of sexual offences and those convicted by a competent court. Its entries should be based on lawful convictions, with appropriate data protection measures to prevent misuse of sensitive personal information.

The proposal comes amid continuing concerns about the handling of sexual abuse cases and access to justice for survivors.

A study by the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), reported by Graphic Online in October 2026, found that 2,172 defilement cases were filed in Ghanaian courts between 2020 and 2025, with 886 still pending.

The study further found that the 1,286 cases concluded during the period took an average of 329.1 days to dispose of, raising concerns about delays in securing justice for survivors.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings called for a stronger national commitment to protecting vulnerable people, insisting that sexual abuse must not be tolerated or excused.

“Let us restore accountability, let us restore our moral compass and let us send an unequivocal message to the sexual abuse of children that the sexual abuse of children will not be tolerated nor excused in our society,” she said.





EA