Sunyani, Oct. 5, GNA - Hajia Boya Gariba, the Deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs, (MOWAC) has reminded Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) of their responsibility to protect the rights of the citizenry, especially women and children. She said before the creation of the Ministry, the District Assemblies had the responsibility of protecting the rights of women and children.

"Since the Ministry is not yet decentralized, it is still the responsibility of MDAs to protect the rights of all citizens, notably women and children at the district level," she said. The Deputy Minister said this at the inauguration of Community, District and Regional Coordinating Committees for the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, 2007.

Hajia Gariba said Municipal and District Chief Executives were the chair persons of Municipal/District Security Councils and had all the powers to ensure that violence against anybody, particularly women and children, was checked and perpetrators made to face the law. Hajia Gariba said Brong-Ahafo Region had been selected for a pilot project to co-ordinate the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act 732 because of the gravity of reported cases of domestic violence in the region.

Mr. Eric Opoku, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, reminded members of the committees they had been chosen to serve the cause of the people and were therefore required to be devoted to duty. He said the objective of the Act could not be achieved without the assistance of all segments of the society and suggested the need for traditional authorities, the clergy, teachers, health workers, transport operators and civil society groups to be on board the implementation process.

Oboaman Bofotia Boa-Amponsem II, Krontihene of Sunyani Traditional Area, said rape cases were grievous criminal offences and condemned the practice where such matters were settled at the courts of traditional authorities. He appealed to traditional rulers not to entertain such cases in their communities and must refer them to the Police for the law to deal with offenders.