Concern over failure to pass domestic violence bill

Speakers at a forum in Accra have expressed worry over the failure of government to pass the domestic violence bill.

The forum was organized by the Women's Fellowship of the New Achimota Circuit of the Methodist Church.

The speakers called on government to expedite action on the passage of the bill.

In response, the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama said her ministry has completed the work needed for the passage of the bill.

She said it is now left to the Attorney General to finalize the charter on the bill.

“The ministry of Women and Children's Affairs was directed to do sensitization of the bill. We've finished with that, we've done all the ten regions and compiled our reports and have sent it to cabinet.

Now the Attorney General has been directed to finalize the drafting if the bill and then send it to Parliament. We need to give them time to finish with the drafting and all that so I'm sure within the next one month, we would hear from the Attorney General,” she said.

The wife of the head of the Methodist Church, Grace Aboagye, says the church is taking the lead in educating people about the domestic violence.

“We are also discussing issues and talking about it in our groups and this function is meant to discuss and educate the women so that we are also aware of what is going because people make so much noise and when you don't have the time to understand, you jump on the noise without knowing what it is.

But we want to understand and so the church is taking the trouble to educate the women. Once they understand then we can put in supporting measures,” she said.