By Nadia Ntiamoah
The Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South East, Mohammed Yakubu, has found himself at the centre of a national controversy after a viral video captured him telling a nine-year-old primary school pupil that he would marry her when she grows up.
The remarks, made during an educational visit by pupils to Parliament, have triggered widespread public condemnation, prompted a formal petition demanding disciplinary action against the legislator, and reignited conversations about child protection, ethical leadership and the responsibilities of public officials when interacting with minors.
The incident occurred while the MP was addressing pupils from The Citadel School during a tour of Parliament.
In what began as a motivational speech encouraging the children to pursue their dreams, Mohammed Yakubu shared his personal journey into politics, recalling how he admired Members of Parliament while he was a student and eventually fulfilled his ambition of becoming one.
“I just want to encourage you all. I used to come here when I was schooling. I would see the MPs and be happy for them. I had a dream and today, standing here as an MP is one of the dreams I have worked for,” he told the pupils.
However, the atmosphere changed dramatically when the MP singled out a young girl in the audience, praised her appearance and made a remark that has since dominated public discourse.
“In fact, what’s your name? You are very beautiful. When you grow up, I will marry you. So she is my wife. In the future, she will also be an MP and all of you will become somebody in future. I wish you the best,” he said.
A video of the interaction quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing sharp criticism from child rights advocates, parents, legal commentators and members of the public.
Many argued that romantic comments directed at a child, even if intended as humour, were inappropriate and risked blurring important boundaries between adults and minors.
Several social media users described the comments as disturbing and unacceptable, insisting that children deserve to be encouraged without becoming the subject of jokes about marriage or romantic relationships.
Others argued that public officials must exercise greater care when addressing minors because their words carry influence and authority.
Some critics went further, suggesting that remarks of this nature contribute to the normalisation of inappropriate behaviour towards children and undermine efforts to strengthen child protection awareness in Ghana.
On July 31, 2026, Akosua Manu, popularly known as Kozie, who serves as the Gender and Social Protection Advisor to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and was the party’s parliamentary candidate for Adentan in the 2024 elections, formally petitioned Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, demanding an investigation into the MP’s conduct and the imposition of severe disciplinary sanctions.
In her petition, Akosua Manu argued that Mohammed Yakubu’s comments breached Parliament’s own ethical standards and undermined public confidence in the institution.
She cited Standing Orders 30(c), 31(1) and 31(o), arguing that the legislator’s conduct violated the decorum, integrity and standards expected of Members of Parliament.
Beyond parliamentary rules, the petition also argued that the MP’s remarks conflicted with the spirit and principles of Ghana’s Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), constitutional protections for children and international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
According to Akosua Manu, Parliament has a responsibility to demonstrate that the welfare and dignity of children remain paramount by holding lawmakers accountable for conduct that falls below expected standards.
She therefore called on Parliament to consider the strongest disciplinary measures available, including possible suspension or expulsion, in order to preserve public confidence in the legislature and reinforce the commitment to child protection.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the Majority Leader, Minority Leader and the Leader of Parliament’s Women’s Caucus for their consideration.
While Mohammed Yakubu has apologised and reportedly explained that the comment was intended as a light-hearted cultural joke rooted in traditional playful interactions between the Mossi and Dagomba ethnic groups, the explanation has done little to quiet public debate.
As public criticism intensified, Mohammed Yakubu issued an unqualified apology, acknowledging that his remarks were inappropriate and expressing regret over the discomfort caused to the young girl, her family, women and the general public.
According to the MP, he accepts full responsibility for his actions and recognises that his words fell short of the standards expected of him as a public official.
“It is something that I am truly sorry for, and I don’t think it will happen again. Irrespective of everything, I will be cautious,” he said.
The legislator further disclosed that he had begun efforts to contact the Member of Parliament for the constituency where the school is located in order to arrange a visit to personally apologise to the schoolgirl, her parents and the school authorities.
He pledged to be more mindful in future engagements with children and assured the public that similar comments would not be repeated.
Despite the apology, the controversy has continued to escalate.
