National Coordinator for Inerla+gh Mrs Mercy Acquah-Hayford has asked traditional rulers to collaborate with the Ghana Police Service in exposing people involved in crimes such as defilement, and rape.
There have been reports of some chiefs and opinion leaders often interfering in the handling of such cases especially in rural communities.
Speaking during a Community Dialogue by Inerla+gh on Social Protection and Social Issues at Maamobi in the Greater Accra Region, she acknowledged the role of traditional authorities in community development and called on chiefs not to use their influence to expose persons involved in the sexual abuse of children.
Mercy Acquah-Hayford said that among the issues to be sent to the Police unit for action included sexual harassment, assault, rape, defilement and parental neglect because in the traditional system, most domestic issues were trivialized and reported to the police when the un-expected such as damage or death occurred.”
“It is better to prevent crime than punish criminals because no punishment could replace the damage caused or death,”she said.
She said, the rationale behind the community dialogue programme is to educate community dwellers on sexual abuse.