Activist Petitions President to Revoke Gyampo’s Appointment as Ghana Shippers’ Authority CEO
February 24,2026
A Ghanaian women and children’s rights activist, Perpetual L. Akwada, has formally petitioned the President of the Republic, calling for the revocation of the appointment of Professor Ransford Edward van Gyampo as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
In her petition, Ms. Akwada argues that the appointment undermines national efforts to protect women and girls and weakens the moral integrity of public office. She referenced what she described as deliberate state interventions in recent years aimed at promoting gender equity, including the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121).
According to her, the decision to appoint Prof. Gyampo signals “an evident decline in national efforts to protect the girl-child and women generally in Ghana.”
The petition cites Prof. Gyampo’s involvement in the BBC’s Sex for Grades documentary, alleging that he was implicated in sexual harassment of female students at the University of Ghana. Ms. Akwada contends that elevating him to a national leadership position sends a troubling message to victims of abuse and risks normalising misconduct.
She further argues that, at a time when sexual violence remains prevalent in schools and workplaces, such an appointment could discourage reporting and embolden perpetrators.
Citing Sexual Violence Data
To contextualise her concerns, the petitioner referenced national statistics on sexual violence. Quoting the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, she noted that 14.1 per cent of women aged 15–49 have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, with six per cent reporting incidents within the 12 months preceding the survey.
She also cited November 2025 data from the Ghana Statistical Service, indicating that among women aged 18 to 29 who reported forced sex, 81.9 per cent experienced their first incident before age 18. The petition highlighted regional disparities, including a reported 22.3 per cent prevalence rate in the Volta Region, and police data showing 10,433 sexual assault cases recorded in 2025 across Greater Accra, Central and Ashanti regions.
Ms. Akwada stressed that underreporting remains a major challenge due to stigma, fear of retaliation and lack of institutional trust.
Call for Moral Leadership
Framing her appeal in moral and national terms, the activist urged the President to demonstrate decisive leadership, stating that public office “must remain a refuge for integrity and not a citadel for misconduct.”
She also referenced Ghana’s historic milestone of having its first female Vice President, arguing that the appointment risks undermining confidence among women who supported the government in the belief that their safety and voices would be prioritised.
Demands
The petition calls on the President to:
Revoke Prof. Gyampo’s appointment as CEO of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
Publicly affirm that individuals associated with sexual harassment or abuse are not eligible for high public office.
Reaffirm Ghana’s commitment to protecting women and girls from abuse and exploitation.
Revise the 2025 Code of Conduct to include an explicit prohibition against sexual harassment by public officials.
Ms. Akwada described the moment as critical for the country’s moral direction and urged the President to act decisively to demonstrate that abuse of power will not be rewarded in the Republic.
