Group wants Presidential Staffer sacked for sexiest comment about teen girl

A women empowerment group known as Damsel Foundation has described a Facebook post by a presidential staff, Nana Hesse Ogyiri as sexist and abusive comments against the 14-year-old daughter of former president John Mahama.

The Foundation has accordingly appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to dismiss from office Nana Hesse Ogyiri because the sexist and abusive comment, noting that this instance was not the first time the presidential staffer in question has been involved in such conduct against the minor.

In commenting on an adorable photograph posted to celebrate the birthday of the minor last week, Nana Hesse Ogyiri wrote: “Former President John Mahama’s daughter, Farida. She has fully developed and well-endowed. Very manageable. What do u think?”

The comment immediately attracted public condemnation and Nana Hesse Ogyiri has since pulled it down.

Nana Hesse Ogyiri, after deleting the comment, put out a public apology “Sincere Apologies” and “We live and learn everyday”.

The apology has however not appeased the angry public as calls for his sanction continue to rise with the latest coming from the Damsel Foundation.

Below is the full statement from the Foundation:

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
0240-858464