The Abduction of the Takoradi Girls

The Management of the University of Education, Winneba has been following with keen interest developments on the abduction of three young ladies in the Takoradi area since August, 2018. One of the abductees, Priscilla Blessing Bentum is a level 300 Business Administration student of our University at the Winneba Campus.

Management of the University, on behalf of students and members of the University community strongly stands with the families of the abductees in these traumatizing and trying times. The University shares the concerns and anxieties of the affected families and friends, and we are hopeful of an early resolution to the issue.

We note with regret initial inertia that characterized developments surrounding the disappearance of the young ladies including the arrest, subsequent breakout and re-arrest of one of the key suspects to the crime. We were more worried about the fact that not much progress had been made over the last five months since news of the abduction of the young ladies broke out.

However, recent update from the Western Regional Police Command suggests a scale-up of activities that will lead to the rescue of the young ladies. We wish to use this opportunity to call on the Police Administration and National Security to, as a matter of urgency prioritise investigations into the kidnapping of the young ladies and provide all the relevant personnel, logistics and technical support to the Western Regional Police Command to help them bring finality to the issue in the soonest possible time in order to ease the anxieties of their families, friends and, especially get the young ladies back to school to allow them pursue the careers of their dreams.

We also welcome the enthusiasm and renewed public interest in the matter and hope that such interest will motivate the security agencies to intensify their investigations and also inspire members of the public to volunteer information that will eventually lead to the rescue of the abductees and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

The University identifies with and fully endorses the campaign initiated by the Multimedia Group of Companies, Ghana hash tag - #BringBackOurTaadiGirls- and we fully urge all our staff, students, alumni and the general public to join in the campaign to support, rescue and return the ladies to their families and schools.

Finally, we pledge our commitment to the investigations and are willing to provide, within our capacities, all the necessary information, resources and support that will lead to the rescue of the young ladies.

Thank you.

Signed:
Surv. Paul Osei-Barima, Esq.
Registrar