Sarah Adwoa Safo, Gender Minister
Member of the communications team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Elikem Kotoko, has questioned the silence of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo, concerning the defilement of 19 boys by a teacher at the Kulpi Junior High School in Salaga.
He stated that he is surprised he hasn’t heard anything from the sector minister since the unfortunate incident occurred in the country.
Mr Kotoko said considering the ordeal the 19 boys have been subjected to and the time it has taken for the sector minister to address the issue, he wonders if there would be enough evidence if medical examination is conducted on them to convict the perpetrator.
He said the authorities have reneged on their duties concerning the matter with such deafening silence that no one knows who to hold responsible.
Mr Kotoko pointed out that if the authorities can be that irresponsible, inefficient and careless about the plight of students in the country, one can only imagine the message they are sending out there.
He thus charged that government cannot shirk its responsibilities in this matter since there is a sector minister with deputies responsible for that and so there is no excuse for the deafening silence from the Gender, Children and Social Protection ministry.
Mr Kotoko stressed that parents at this time will be worried about how the alleged sodomy saga is been handled because nobody knows where such an incidence will take place next in the country.
He said how the authorities handle the matter will serve as a deterrent or otherwise for would-be perpetrators in the country.
Mr Kotoko said this in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on the New Day show on TV3, Tuesday, October 5.
He was reacting on the back of the alleged sodomy of some 19 boys by their Social Studies teacher Nantomah Otabel at the Kulpi Junior High School in Salaga, who has been arrested by the police but unable to arraign him before court because the parents of the 19 victims bemoans of the lack of funds to take their wards to the hospital for medical examination. And also the silence by the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection or his deputy on the matter.
“I do not know till when we as a country will begin to take stringent action on such matters. The question that begs to be answered is, where is our gender minister? I think we are having too many square pegs in round holes which they don’t want to be told exactly who they are. Since the incident happened, I haven’t heard anything from Madam Adwoa Safo, I am told she has not even been reporting to work because she is angry the President directed her to recall Madam Beatrice Quashigah whom she fired.
“It is very worrying if you look at the ordeal the boys have gone through, the time that has elapsed and now has to take the MP to go to their rescue, would there be enough evidence to implicate the suspect in this case?” Mr Kotoko quizzed on the New Day.