Five years ago, the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU)—Ghana’s frontline defence against abuse—promised a national sex offender registry. Five years later, that promise is still just a proposal.
Meanwhile, the crisis continues. Data from the ‘Let’s Talk App‘ shows 55 reported cases of rape or defilement in 2025 alone. Since these are only reported incidents, the actual numbers are certainly higher.
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| The image shows the number of Gender-Based Violence percentages in 2025 on the Let’s Talk App. Photo credit: Let’s Talk App |
The time for stalling is over.
What Is A Sex Offender Registry and Why Does Ghana Need One?
A sex offender register is a crucial mechanism designed to track convicted sex offenders, even after they’ve completed their sentences. This system often includes strict residential address requirements, prioritizing public safety.
The urgent need for this system is chillingly clear in the headlines from recent months. In a high-profile case that shocked the nation in July 2025, a 14-year-old girl in Madina was allegedly gang-raped by 18 men, leaving her pregnant and traumatized.
This horrific incident, confirmed by Madina Divisional DOVVSU, highlights the immediate, severe threat present in our communities.
The decision to create the registry was not arbitrary; it was a direct response to worrying figures. In 2020, statistics available at DOVVSU indicated that 1,047 girls were defiled, while 305 women were raped, according to Graphic Online.
In response to these numbers, the National Coordinator of DOVVSU, Chief Superintendent Owusua Kyeremeh, disclosed the organization’s plans at a webinar, stating at the time:
Owusuaa Kyerema, Director of DOVVSU. Photo credit: GBC Ghana Online
“In Ghana generally, we document all convicts; there is a procedure that we go through. We don’t have one specifically for rape convicts, but we intend to do that going forward. It is on the drawing board to establish a register for people who have been convicted of rape, which, among other things, is to serve as a reference point.” (as reported by Ghana Business News).
Ghanaian law is clear: Rape (Section 97 of Act 29) and Defilement (Section 101 of Act 29) are serious crimes punishable by up to life imprisonment.
Yet, five years after this public pledge, DOVVSU’s inaction is baffling.
How Other African Nations Are Leading
Ghana is falling behind its neighbors. Other African countries have not only implemented these lists but have already navigated the debate on access:
These countries vary when it comes to how their list is made public. Kenya has a public registry, such that offenders’ personal information is accessible to the public, while South Africa and Mauritius protect offenders’ identities to some extent, balancing their privacy rights with public safety.
Worse still, DOVVSU hasn’t even clarified what the Ghanaian list would look like—public or restricted. This lack of procedural transparency is unacceptable.
Ghanaian Voices: Public Safety vs. Stigma
Peter Ogbodu, a photographer, argues for a scaled approach:
“The sex offenders registry is a great idea, and I think it should be implemented in Ghana. But in my opinion, it is a double-edged sword that could also be manipulated to ruin people’s reputations, so instead, there should be a scaling system where your name only goes on the public registry if you are a repeat offender or a high-level threat.
The scaling could be from something like indecent exposure to the highest form of violent sexual crime, where if your crime is deemed high enough, your name must be on the public registry.”
Leslie Annoh, an accountant, notes the challenge of reintegration
“I think it’s good, in that it will help keep track of people with such behaviours. Should it be done in Ghana? Yes and a No. Yes, because we get to name and shame such characters in society. Thereby mitigating the rate at which such incidence occurs. Also, it helps to sanitise society by taking out people with such attitudes. No, because when there is a change of mind and attitude for the offender, society finds it difficult to live with them due to the stigma. On the contrary, offenders could be made to face severe punishment and sign a bond of good behaviour thereafter.”
Christabel Akotia-Lamptey, a content creator, strongly supports the list, but with caution:
“Having a sex offender registry is a very great idea. It’s a sure way to feel safe because I will know who to look out for when it comes to such crimes. Not to stigmatize, but to know how to protect and secure myself and my household.
A semi-public list would be better. Considering how quick we are to condemn and stigmatize.”
The legal perspective: Nhyiraba Yaw Sompa Okyere, a lawyer, confirms that a public list is legal:
“It’s about finding the nature of all the criminal cases that fall under that purview and then tracking the final decisions and the judgments made in those courts. If they relate to convictions, you also have to be sure that the person didn’t appeal that decision, to be sure that they were really sentenced for it…
A bit more administrative work in really sorting through the case list to be sure what the final decisions were and who was convicted after exhausting all the appeal processes.”
In light of this, Ghana must decide whether to take decisive action to safeguard its people or to keep putting off accountability.
DOVVSU needs to guarantee procedural transparency and offer a clear implementation roadmap for the register if it is genuinely dedicated to justice.
Now is the moment to act; the days of making promises are over.
[Please note: Interviews were edited for clarity]