Otiko to Moesha: Don’t drag decent women along with your shame

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has disassociated Ghanaian women from actress Moesha Boduong’s comment that women in Ghana have sex married men for economic reasons.

In an interview with CNN, Moesha Boduong stated Ghana’s economy is so bad to the extent that women are compelled to have sexual affairs with men regardless of their marital status just to survive.

The Sector Minister, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba in a statement condemned Moesha’s comment and in particular “her generalisations, which are unjustified.”

The Ministry noted that Moesha Boduong has the right to discuss her lifestyle on any platform but “she does not represent the multitudes of hardworking Ghanaian women putting in 10 – 18 hours a day in the fields, markets and offices across Ghana, to put food on the table, find shelter for their children and guide their families through the turbulence of life to the extraordinary vision of “A Ghana Beyond Aid”, which is within our reach.”

Meanwhile, Ms Boduong has apologised for her comments following a wave of criticisms against her on social media.

“I have had a lot of time to think and reflect and I apologise to all, especially my African sisters. I pray you all find it in your hearts to forgive me,” she said in an Instagram post on Friday, 13 April 2018.

Ms Boduong further indicated that she has respect for “all the hard working women of our beloved country and accept that some of my utterances were not a reflection of what happens in most homes”.

Below is the full statement from the Gender Ministry

MINISTRY OF GENDER, CHILDREN & SOCIAL PROTECTION CONDEMNS & DISASSOCIATES GHANAIAN WOMEN FROM MOESHA BODUONG’S INTERVIEW ON CNN

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has monitored the comments made by Ms. Moesha Boduong, a Ghanaian actress, on CNN with dismay and dissatisfaction. We wish to dissociate Ghanaian women from the comments of Ms. Moesha Boduong. Ms. Moesha has the right to discuss her lifestyle on any platform but she does not represent the multitudes of hardworking Ghanaian women putting in 10 – 18 hours a day in the fields, markets and offices across Ghana, to put food on the table, find shelter for their children and guide their families through the turbulence of life to the extraordinary vision of “A Ghana Beyond Aid”, which is within our reach.

In the face of the giant strides that women from all walks of life in Ghana are making to assert their independence, re-discover their pride and assert their self-esteem, the sweeping generalizations made by Ms. Moesha on international prime time television have invariably done great damage to Ghanaian womanhood, apart from casting Ghanaian men as predatory, uncaring and rapacious. On behalf of Ghanaian women and men, the Ministry condemns Moesha’s statements and in particular her generalizations, which are unjustified.

Our outrage is situated in Ms. Moesha’s presumption to tar many Ghanaian women with this mercenary behavior. This was made worse by blaming her excessive, lavish lifestyle on the economy of Ghana. Ghana is a developing country but her citizens are striving hard to create an environment in which all citizens can achieve their aspirations with a measure of dignity and respect. Our economy cannot be blamed if a minute minority of Ghanaians decide to live opulent, flamboyant and amoral lifestyles without any discernible means of livelihood. Indeed, Ghanaian women are considered the engine of growth in the informal sector because of their contributions, tenacity, creativity, sacrifice and hard work in the face of all their challenges. The various Government policies, legislation and poverty reduction interventions for females since independence to date are designed to transform their lives and protect them from various abuses. This is development in progress, as we better enforce laws to reduce inequalities and strengthen institutions for equity, access to eduction, financial and productive inclusion.

We wish to appeal to our international friends and partners, especially media organizations including CNN, to respect our structures and contact established national agencies like the Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection, Ministry of Culture and Information when they are producing programmes on Gender and Social Issues in Ghana. We have no desire to obstruct the freedom of these media organizations in their selection of subjects and resource persons, but we believe a view from the national representative body will provide a balanced story which will do justice to the subject matter.

Finally, we wish to caution publicity-hungry actresses and socialites that while it is within their right to bask in infamy and self-ridicule, they have no right to drag decent, hardworking Ghanaian women into their destructive obsession with notoriety and infamy at any price. Ghana is a respectable country with a great heritage and proud citizens. If any Ghanaian cannot lift high the flag of Ghana, the least he/she can do is not to soil the image nor smear the reputation of our motherland.

Thank you.
Signed
Otiko Afisah Djaba
Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection