MPs to Face Child Engagement Curbs Until Safeguarding Training is Done
Ahafo Ano South East Member of Parliament Yakubu Mohammed has been called out by human rights organisation Rights Accountability Network Africa (RANA) for making inappropriate remarks to a primary school pupil during an educational visit to Parliament. The organisation has asked Parliament to prevent the MP from taking part in official engagements involving visiting children or school groups until he undergoes accredited training in child safeguarding.
RANA Demands Training and Protocol Reforms
RANA has called on Parliament to establish comprehensive child safeguarding protocols covering school visits, youth programmes, privacy, photography, consent, reporting procedures, and professional boundaries. The organisation also wants mandatory safeguarding orientation for all Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff involved in activities involving children. It has requested a clearly identifiable safeguarding focal point where pupils, parents, teachers, and schools can confidentially report concerns.
The call comes after a widely circulated video showed Mr Yakubu Mohammed telling a female primary school pupil during a parliamentary visit: “You’re very beautiful. When you grow up, I’ll marry you. So she’s my wife.” The MP later encouraged the pupil to aspire to become a Member of Parliament. While he has since issued an unreserved apology, RANA argues that the incident highlights the need for broader institutional reforms within Parliament.
Inappropriate Remarks and Institutional Responsibility
RANA has stated that children who visit Parliament must be treated first as children, citizens, and future leaders, rather than being placed in situations involving inappropriate adult-child references. The organisation has cautioned against exposing the pupil involved in the controversy to further public scrutiny, saying the child should not become collateral damage in an adult political debate. This is not the child’s scandal, RANA has stated.
Parliament has been asked to respond substantively to RANA’s demands within fourteen working days, with the focus shifting from the individual controversy to strengthening protections for children in public spaces. The organisation has also called on government to develop minimum child safeguarding standards across public institutions, including ministries, departments, agencies, local assemblies, and state programmes involving children.
A Need for Safeguarding Reforms in Ghana
This incident highlights the need for Ghana to prioritise child safeguarding in public institutions. The country has a responsibility to ensure that children who interact with public officials are treated with dignity and respect. The call for mandatory safeguarding orientation and comprehensive child safeguarding protocols is a step in the right direction.
In the coming weeks, Parliament will be expected to respond to RANA’s demands and take concrete steps to strengthen child safeguarding in Ghana. The outcome of this process will have far-reaching implications for the protection of children in public spaces and the accountability of public officials.
Source: Joy Online
