“When systems fail, abuse victims look to the media” — Nana Oye Bampoe Addo

Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration of Ghana, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo commends the media for its efforts in reporting on and publicising cases of domestic violence, and other forms of abuse.

In a speech at the launch of Women of Valour – London 2026, on 17 February 2026, on the theme, “The Pursuit of Fearlessness”, at the British High Commissioner’s Residence, she said many women are abused and victimised because they couldn’t get a voice to defend them when they were abused.

She explained that the Afro Barometer Report still says that 41.6% of women aged 15-49 in Ghana have experienced intimate partnership violence.

“It goes to 46% in Kenya, and in Uganda, 44%. When our systems fail or our frail, victims will search for hope elsewhere.
They look up to you the media to tell their stories”.

She sited an incident where an 8-year-old was sexually assaulted by her grandfather in 2005.

Joy Fm publicised the story using the pseudonym little Adwoa as the affected girl’s name. The grandfather got arrested through that, and the girl underwent reconstructive surgery.

In a report by Asaase Radio’s Agnes Fynn, the Deputy Chief of Staff also shed light on social institutions that have not been actively involved in helping and getting justice for women who have been abused.

“The State, government, people who could help, family, church, did not act decisively, did not act promptly, did not act together”, she said.

She added that it is the hope of many women that the setting up of institutions to combat violence against women, such as DOVVSU, and the African Convention on Addressing Gender-based violence will deliver justice and offer safety as they were set up to do.

She also commended the efforts of individuals who act as Citizen journalists in the society.

She cited the example of a concerned tenant who posted a video on X, of a landlord beating up his ex-wife, which led to the arrest of the landlord.

By Agnes Fynn