Group Wants President Staffer Sacked Over ‘Sexist’ Comment About Mahama’s Daughter

 

 

A group known as Damsel Foundation is calling for the dismissal of a presidential staff, Nana Hesse Ogyiri over a sexist and abusive comment the latter allegedly made about former president John Mahama’s daughter, Farida Mahama.

 

 

 

In commenting under a Facebook post to celebrate the young girl, Nana Hesse Ogyiri said, “Former President John Mahama’s daughter, Farida. She has fully developed and well-endowed. Very manageable. What do u think?”

He received wide condemnation from many social media users, causing him to later apologise.

 

 

 

But according to Damsel Foundation, the comment is shameful and uncharacteristic of a presidential staffer.

“The said statement amounts to child abuse in clear contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children’s Act, 1998 (ACT 560) of Ghana, which enjoins governments and all persons not to subject a child to any mental abuse… Regrettably, Mr. Nana Hesse Ogyiri did not only make these sexually abusive and inappropriate comments about the minor but further went ahead to invite the public to share similar views about the minor while displaying her picture in the said Facebook post,” the group said.

The group, which is committed to the empowerment of young girls in the country said President Akufo-Addo must “sanction Mr. Ogyiri by dismissing him from office with immediate effect, as a sign of his government’s commitment to protecting every child from any form of abuse irrespective of their backgrounds.”

It said, with the knowledge that this is not the first time the staff has made such a sexually abusive comment, it will lodge a formal complaint to the Chief of Staff and other local and international bodies.

 

 

Read the full statement below:

DAMSEL FOUNDATION CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL OF PRESIDENTIAL STAFFER, NANA HESSE OGYIRI OVER HIS ABUSIVE SEXUAL COMMENTS ABOUT A MINOR, FARIDA MAHAMA.

The Damsel Foundation has taken notice of a sexist and sexually inappropriate comment made by a Presidential staffer, Mr. Nana Hesse Ogyiri on his Facebook wall about a Minor, Farida Mahama on the occasion of her birthday.

The said statement amounts to child abuse in clear contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children’s Act, 1998 (ACT 560) of Ghana, which enjoin governments and all persons not to subject a child to any mental abuse.

Regrettably, Mr. Nana Hesse Ogyiri did not only make these sexually abusive and inappropriate comments about the minor but further went ahead to invite the public to share similar views about the minor while displaying her picture in the said Facebook post.

As a foundation that is committed to the empowerment of young girls in the country, we are appalled and disgusted by this shameful conduct of Mr. Ogyiri which is unbecoming of a Presidential Staffer and condemns same in no uncertain terms.

We wish to call on the President of the Republic of Ghana to sanction Mr. Ogyiri by dismissing him from office with immediate effect, as a sign of his government’s commitment to protect every child from any form of abuse irrespective of their backgrounds.

The foundation further wishes to inform the public that we will lodge a formal complaint on this matter to the Chief of Staff of the Republic who has oversight responsibility over Mr. Ogyiri and other appropriate local and international bodies. This has become imperative given the fact that this is not the first time that Mr. Ogyiri has made such despicable sexually abusive and inappropriate statements about the Minor in question.

We hope our actions, which we intend to pursue to its logical conclusion will be deterrent to other irresponsible persons who think and behave like Mr. Ogyiri.

Signed,

Beatrice Annangfio