Of an equally pressing matter for the attention of children’s rights activists!

Attention children’s rights activists and others campaigning so vigorously to save the children of Ghana from a perceived, looming homosexual threat: INCEST, another danger to children, particularly young girls, has been highlighted recently and evidently needs urgent resolution.

Yet, nobody seems to care about dealing decisively with this deviant behaviour, much less helping the victims.

Extremely distressing, shameful news came last month from Ghana’s Western Region, about the increasing number of incest cases. And vulnerable, voiceless and conceivably traumatised children, girl children, are at the mercy of their depraved male blood relatives!

Yes, blood relatives! In some cases, even fathers are allegedly molesting their biological daughters, some as young as nine years! Understandably, the victims are terrorised into enduring their ordeal in secret.

As reported, by ‘Firstnewsroom’ and others on April 20, 2023, recently the Essential Services Committee (ESC) of the Western Regional Coordinating Council expressed concern about the increasing cases in that region of fathers sleeping with their daughters.

Then on April 21, a blogger wrote: “Shockingly, girls as young as 9-10 years old are suffering incestuous abuse from grandfathers, stepfathers, or uncles within their own families.”

Another outlet, ‘Westernregion.net’, quoting a Ghana News Agency report, stated that a member of the ESC, from the Office of the Attorney General, Ms Mabel A. Aikins, described the incest situation as being in “alarming numbers.”

I have been waiting, since the harrowing news broke, to hear from those so vocal about getting the anti-gay rights or LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and others) Bill, passed by Parliament, those determined to protect children from homosexual predators. I have been expecting to hear their outrage and condemnation of incest too, notably incest with minors as victims, but so far it’s only a deafening silence, although vociferous support for the Bill continues.

Originally titled the ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021’, the title of the Bill has now been amended to “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2021.)

Background: the saga began in July, 2021, when eight Members of Parliament submitted to the House a Private Members’ Bill which criminalises homosexual practices, and which seeks to imprison offenders identified as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queers and others (LGBTQ +).

The draft law describes its objective as "to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values; proscribe LGBTQ+ and related activities; proscribe propaganda of, advocacy for or promotion of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities; provide for the protection of and support for children, (emphasis added).

Its provisions include:

• 3 to 5 years of imprisonment for engaging in same-sex intercourse;

• 5 to 10 years of imprisonment for anyone who produces, procures, or distributes material deemed to be promoting LGBT+ activities;

• forced disbanding of all LGBT+ associations in Ghana, along with 6 to 10 years of imprisonment for anyone taking part in such an association;

Against the backdrop of the anti-LGBT+ Bill, and the proponents’ objective of protecting children, I had thought that they would voice immediate, vehement criticism of incest cases, too, followed by a proposal to Parliament to commence legislative action, like the anti-gay rights Bill.

But, so far, no such denunciation has been heard about the abomination, the “alarming” numbers, not even from women MPs, nor MPs from the Western Region.

Is incest, notably with minors, not as reprehensible as homosexual assaults on minors? Then why is nobody talking about this terrible phenomenon – the religious leaders, politicians, traditional rulers, other opinion leaders and others campaigning in support of criminalising homosexual activities?
The Bill even goes to the extent of seeking prison terms for journalists viewed as promoting homosexual lifestyle for just reporting on LGBT+ concerns or activities!

However, the Western Region is not the only region in Ghana where such atrocious, shameful incidents have been recorded.

On September 23, 2022, the Ghana Business News (GBN) started a harrowing news feature on the incest phenomenon thus: “Every day, Madam Amina Sato (not her real name) goes through unbearable pain when she recalls how her husband defiled their nine-year-old daughter at Dedeso, a farming community in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region.”

Family elders forbade her from reporting to the police. They told her that because incest is an abomination and talking about it would bring shame to the entire family. As it had happened twice, her daughter was just sent to live in another village.

“Thus, her 48-year-old husband is still walking free while the daughter he defiled was sent away from home,” GBN noted.

Last year, molestations reported by the Ghana News Agency included: a 14-year-old girl who accused her father of sexual abuse in Tamale; in Accra, a 52-year-old father jailed 15 years for defiling his 14-year daughter; and in the Central Region a 64-year-old father arrested for sexually abusing his 14-year-old daughter.

Which Ghanaian culture, or family values, finds incest acceptable?
Ghana’s Criminal Code has penalties against homosexual offences but that didn’t stop the initiators of the anti-gay rights Bill, so why is there no similar agitation over incest?

A set of harsh punishments, akin to those proposed in the anti-gay rights draft law would be appropriate, it seems to me. Also needed are pragmatic measures, especially immediate, accessible help for incest victims.

Surely, as with the strident action against LGBT+ we need dedicated advocates for an equally spirited campaign against incest!

Are any of our MPs ready to champion this humanitarian cause on behalf of incest victims, through a Private Members’ Motion?

When in future the story of the anti-gay rights Bill is told, will Ghana’s Parliament have a laudable story to tell about how the people’s representatives also championed protection of children from depraved, incestuous sexual predators through a similar Private Members’ Motion?

Or is it only homosexuals that children need to be saved from? Is it the case that nobody has any interest in protecting children from the abomination of incest, too?

The impression shouldn’t be created that Ghana’s MPs, chiefs, opinion leaders, religious heads and other campaigners will fight against same sex relationships, but ignore the shocking reality of the incest menace, indicating that they see it as less of a threat to Ghanaian cultural and family values.


Email of author: (ajoayeboahafari@yahoo.com)