Minister for Interior, Mr. Ambrose Dery, has indicated on the floor of Parliament that his Ministry and the office of the Attorney-General are taking urgent steps to amend the Ghana Police Service Regulations, 2012 (Constitutional Instrument CI 76) to include Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA).
The Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Nandom, pointed out that the current police regulations do not explicitly capture Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
On the issue of sexual misconduct by some policemen, Mr. Dery pointed out that the statement from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan on the alleged sexual misconduct involving UN Peacekeepers from Ghana and part of the Formed Police Unit (FPU), has come to the attention of the Ministry.
Answering a question by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on responsive measures in dealing with an alleged sexual exploitation of some Ghanaian policemen, Mr. Dery stated at the Plenary that the report on their conduct will be out soon.
Explaining further, Mr. Dery reiterated that a three-member team of investigators were dispatched to South Sudan on May 11, 2018 to investigate the matter.
He however informed the House that in line with the UN zero adherence policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, the detachment of some 64 personnel was repatriated on administrative grounds to Ghana on May 30, 2018.
Background of issue
On February 23, 2018, the Ghana Police Service, received a report of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) case against some personnel of the Ghana Formed Police Unit (FPU) 1 Detachment at Wau Protection of Civilian (POC) Camp, South Sudan from the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations.
In line with UN practice in such cases, the Detachment of some 64 personnel was immediately withdrawn to Juba.
The Office of the Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), a UN independent body was commissioned to investigate the allegations.
Thereafter, a three-member investigative team was also dispatched to South Sudan to investigate the matter. Report on their investigation is yet to come out to determine the fate of the accused policemen.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
