Hajia Ibrahim condemns abuse of 8-year-old pupil of St Olives Grammar School
The Vice Chair of the Gender, Children and Social Welfare Committee, Hajia Zuwera Ibrahim, has condemned the horrific abuse inflicted on an eight- year-old pupil of the St Olives Grammar School in Dodowa by her housemistress.
She described the alleged flogging of Jalila Abdul, who was accused of witchcraft and forced to immerse her legs in scalding hot water, as a barbaric act.
She, therefore, called for swift justice for Jalila Abdul through the prosecution of the school management.
“As the Vice Chair of the Gender, Children and Social Welfare Standing Committee, I condemn this barbaric act in the strongest terms and call for swift justice, including full enforcement of Ghana’s child protection laws,” she said.
Mrs Ibrahim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Salaga South, made the condemnation in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra.
Physical trauma
Mrs Ibrahim said she was shocked to the marrow on learning of the horrific abuse inflicted on Jalila by her housemistress recently.
She said the abuse of Jalila was presented falsely as treatment for a fungal infection, leaving her at grave risk of leg amputation.
On January 24 this year, Hajia Ibrahim said she personally visited Jalila and her family, witnessing first-hand the profound physical trauma and emotional devastation the innocent child was enduring, as well as the family’s anguish amid inadequate support.
She said her discussion with Jalila’s mother revealed that she had undergone successful surgery and skin grafting and was now, hopefully, on the road to recovery.
“This incident represents not only a criminal assault but a grave violation of fundamental human rights.
“The rights of the child, as enshrined in both our national laws and international conventions to which Ghana is a signatory, must be protected and upheld without exception,” she said.
Urgent action needed
Hajia Ibrahim said it was refreshing that there was an impending prosecution of the school management following its illegal operations without a valid license from the National Schools Inspectorate Authority.
With the school not properly registered, she said a thorough and comprehensive investigation into its operations and management was welcome news.
She added that the incident came on the heels of Ghana’s recent participation in the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) event held in Geneva, where Ghana’s progress in protecting human rights, especially those of children, was highlighted.
She said she attended that gathering in her capacity as Vice Chair of the Gender, Children and Social Welfare Committee.
“The stark contrast between our international commitments and this appalling reality demands urgent action.
“As the Vice Chair of the Gender, Children and Social Welfare Standing Committee, I condemn this barbaric act in the strongest terms and call for swift justice, including full enforcement of Ghana’s child protection laws,” she said.
She pointed out that a critical issue that had emerged clearly from the case was the lack of infrastructure at the school where the incident occurred.
The disconnect in infrastructure, particularly in access to quality education and proper oversight mechanisms, must be addressed urgently to improve access to safe, regulated learning environments for all Ghanaian children, she said.
“I commit to leading parliamentary efforts for stricter school licensing, mandatory child safeguarding training, whistleblower protections for students and multi-sectoral collaboration to eradicate such abuses.
Parliament will follow this case until its conclusion to ensure that the necessary remedial action is taken,” she said.
Hajia Ibrahim also pledged to draw the attention of the Speaker of Parliament to the matter, so it was treated with the priority it deserved.
“The Attorney General will be called on to ensure that the culprits are brought to book and that this case is pursued to its logical conclusion with justice served.
“Our children deserve safe learning environments; together, we will build them,” she said.
To aid the treatment of the little girl, Hajia Ibrahim said she made an undisclosed donation to support Jalila’s medical care and family needs.
