The Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery, has told parliament that government is investigating the alleged sexual exploitation of women by some policemen who were on UN Peacekeeping duties in South Sudan.
He revealed that a three-member team of investigators was dispatched to South Sudan on March 11, 2018 to investigate the matter.
The minister made this known in parliament yesterday when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa asked him whether the Ministry was aware of the alleged conduct of the Ghanaian peace-keepers in South Sudan.
According to him, “Mr Speaker in line with the UN Zero adherence policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, the detachment of 46 personnel was repatriated on administrative grounds to Ghana on 30th May, 2018.”
He observed that in line with the commitment of the Ghana Police Service to fighting sexual exploitation, abuse and related cases, the three-member team from Ghana was dispatched to South Sudan to investigate the allegations.
He said that after the withdrawal of the 46 contingent from South Sudan following the allegations, the office of the Internal Oversight Services, an independent body in the UN, was also commissioned to investigate the allegations.
Mr. Dery added that steps are being taken by the Ministry and the Attorney-General’s Office to amend the Ghana Police Service Regulations 2012 (C176) to include sexual exploitation and abuse, which are not explicitly captured under the current regulations.
<<Print>>