Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu constituency, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has intimated that women must be strongly encouraged to resist abusive partners.

According to Mr. Ablakwa, the recent issues about domestic violence presents a "horrifying and heart-wrenching times not just for our daughters, sisters and wives", hence, "we must all be outraged that physical and emotional violence against women continues to this day."

The obviously concerned MP intimated that, "real men use their strength to protect their partners [and] not harm them.”

He believes there is no justification for lifting a hand on a spouse, therefore, Ghanaians must encourage women to "boldly resist and report domestic violence without the slightest delay. Better to leave and live than to stay and succumb.”

Mr. Ablakwa further called for swift investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators of such acts to serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr. Ablakwa made the call via a post on his social media pages on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Background

The North Tongu legislator’s call comes on the back of reports of a man in the Volta Region accused of murdering his girlfriend.

A supposed Deputy Director of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Philip Caezar Kumah allegedly beat his girlfriend to death at Akatsi North.

According to the Volta Regional Police PRO, Sgt. Prince Dogbatse, the victim Elizabeth Yesutor, complained to her friends about the constant abuse by her lover but failed to heed to advice to report the abuses to the police.

In a related development, a District Court in Madina has also remanded into police custody, one Prince Charles Dedjoe, a businessman, suspected of killing his wife.

The suspect has been provisionally charged with murder and is to reappear before the court on March 22, 2021.

He was arrested on Sunday, March 7, 2021, for allegedly killing his wife in their residence at East Legon.

The Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Effia Tenge told Citi News that the father of the deceased said a day before the incident that, his daughter had complained to him about being severely assaulted by her husband.

She said the victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The Police Command said a day after the incident, the suspect, Charles Dedjoe filed a police report saying that at about 3:20 am on the said day, he rushed out from bed upon hearing his wife scream only to find her lying unconscious on their staircase.

Below is Mr. Ablakwa’s full statement 


Horrifying and heart-wrenching times not just for our daughters, sisters and wives; we must all be outraged that physical and emotional violence against women continues to this day.

There can be absolutely no justification to lift a hand against a spouse. Real men use their strength to protect their partners not harm them.

We must strongly encourage ladies to boldly resist and report domestic violence without the slightest delay. Better to leave and live than to stay and succumb.

Our deep sympathies and prayers are with all bereaved families including the many victims who escape the lenses of the media.

May the perpetrators never find peace and when they are finally found out, may their earthly punishment serve as sufficient deterrence.