No Job Or Academic Qualification Should Come At Cost Of Anyone’s Dignity – Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
Story By: Deborah Adorsu
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has condemned sexual exploitation in workplaces and educational institutions, insisting no job or academic qualification should come at the cost of anyone’s dignity.
She said people in positions of authority must not exploit their influence over employment, promotion or academic progression to demand sexual favours from those under their supervision.
Addressing a Sex for Jobs Conference organised by the Ark Foundation, the Vice President described such practices as abuses of power that undermine individual dignity, erode confidence in institutions and deprive the country of the full potential of its people.
Prof.Opoku-Agyemang said sex for jobs and sex for grades are not private matters. They are systemic problems that silence victims, reward abuse and punish merit.
She said victims are often young women at the start of their careers or education, who face an impossible choice between their future and their dignity. Many suffer in silence for fear of victimisation, stigma or losing their jobs and academic opportunities.
The Vice President called on institutions to move beyond policies on paper and build safe, trusted systems for reporting, investigation and sanction.
She said workplaces and schools must protect complainants, act swiftly on reports and hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of rank or influence.
She also urged men in leadership to use their authority to protect, not exploit, and called on bystanders to speak up when they witness abuse.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang cited the launch of the revised National Gender Policy by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which provides for stronger institutional responses to gender-based violence.
She said government remains committed to creating an environment where talent and hard work, not sexual compliance, determine success.
She encouraged victims to report abuse and assured them of government’s support in the fight against sexual exploitation in all its forms.