Koforidua: Cases of defilement and incest have become increasingly common in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, according to Madam Angelina Aboagyewaa Appiah, the Tano North Municipal Director of the Social Welfare Department. She reported that since January 2025, five cases of defilement have been documented, with many linked to incest. Alcoholism and substance abuse were identified as contributing factors influencing the perpetrators.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Appiah noted that despite successful prosecutions, many cases remain unreported due to victims' and their families' fear of societal stigmatization. She highlighted that certain belief systems and poverty are also contributing to the rise of transactional sex, child marriage, and teenage pregnancy in the municipality, emphasizing the need for stakeholder intervention to address these issues.
Madam Appiah made these remarks during a stakeholders meeting and the launch of a Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) campaign in Koforidua, near Duayaw-Nkwanta, the municipal capital. The event was attended by local chiefs and queens, representatives from the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and religious organizations.
The German Development Cooperation (GIZ) is aiding the MIHOSO International Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on promoting the welfare of vulnerable populations, in implementing the campaign. Madam Appiah stressed that SGBV is a serious crime and a severe form of human rights abuse punishable by law. She urged traditional and community leaders to ensure that such cases are not settled privately.
Mr. Victor Osei, the Tano North Municipal Director of CHRAJ, emphasized that fundamental human rights are entitlements, not privileges, and called for increased public education and awareness on SGBV. He advocated for the prosecution of perpetrators to deter others.
Chief Inspector Dorothy Dadzie, the Tano North Municipal Coordinator of the DOVVSU, expressed concern about the interference of traditional and religious leaders in the prosecution of defilement and other SGBV-related cases. She urged these leaders to allow legal processes to proceed uninhibited to serve as a deterrent.
Mr. Godfred Tabanye Wuliyeng, Head of Programmes at MIHOSO, outlined that the campaign, titled 'Rise Up: Uniting Communities to Prevent SGBV Against Women and Girls in Bono East and Ahafo Regions,' would be carried out over seven months. It aims to intensify public education and awareness on SGBV across 10 communities in Tano North, including Yamfo, Bomaa, Susuanso, Tanoso, Techire, Adrobaa, Afrisipakrom, and Subonpang.
Mr. Wuliyeng emphasized the necessity of stakeholder contributions for the campaign's success and encouraged their active support.
