US-based Ghanaian disc jockey DJ Switch has criticised Ahafo Ano South East MP Yakubu Mohammed over comments he made to a schoolgirl during an educational visit to Parliament, describing the remarks as inappropriate and calling for greater accountability in the protection of children.

The comments, captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, were made while the MP interacted with a group of pupils visiting Parliament.

In the video, Mr Mohammed compliments one of the girls before saying:

"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."

The remarks drew laughter from some of those present.

Reacting to the incident, DJ Switch said she was "genuinely disgusted" by the MP's comments, arguing that children should never be the subject of romantic remarks by adults.

"I am genuinely disgusted. A grown man, a Member of Parliament, someone entrusted with leadership, looked at a little girl, a child, and said, 'You're very beautiful. When you grow up, I'll marry you.'"

She rejected suggestions that the comments should be dismissed as harmless humour.

"That's not funny. That's not charming. That is not African humour. That is completely inappropriate.

"The fact that some people are laughing is exactly the problem. We have become so desensitised to adults making romantic comments about children that we have convinced ourselves that it's a joke."

According to the young media personality, children should never be portrayed as future romantic partners for adults, even in jest.

"Children are not the punchlines for such jokes. They're not your future spouses. Children are not objects for adults to be making romantic or flirtatious comments about. They're children."

Anticipating arguments that the MP's remarks were harmless, she questioned why marriage would be introduced into a conversation with a child.

"I know somebody will say, 'He didn't mean it like that. It was just a joke.' But why is marriage, even as a joke, the first thing that comes into the mind of an adult when speaking to a little girl?

"Why are we so comfortable putting children in imaginary romantic relationships with adults? Why is that acceptable?"

DJ Switch stressed that her concerns were not about political correctness but about protecting children and preserving their innocence.

"This isn't about political correctness. It's about protecting children and respecting their innocence."

She argued that the issue extends beyond men, noting that women also make comments that normalise inappropriate attitudes towards children.

"I've heard adults tell little boys that they will have girlfriends lined up. I've heard adults reserve children for someone's son or daughter. I've literally heard families joke about babies dating each other."

According to her, such comments have become so commonplace that many people no longer recognise the potential harm they can cause.

"We've normalised language that places children into adult relationships before they're even old enough to understand what those relationships mean. Enough is enough."

Drawing from her own experience, DJ Switch revealed that she has been subjected to inappropriate comments since childhood, with some adults openly counting down to when she would become "ripe."

"I have adults in my comment section counting down to the day I become ripe, as if my childhood was just a waiting room for their attraction.

"You can't confidently tell me that's admiration. That's disturbing."

She described such behaviour as predatory, adding:

"Let's call a spade a spade. That's paedophilic. We have to stop excusing this behaviour just because someone smiled while saying it."

Read also: Backlash greets MP’s ‘I’ll marry you’ remark to schoolgirl during Parliament visit

DJ Switch also questioned what action Parliament would take in response to the MP's remarks and criticised what she described as weak enforcement against inappropriate online comments directed at children.

"So to the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, I ask: what accountability exists when one of your own has publicly made such inappropriate remarks towards a child?"

She further questioned the response of state institutions to similar incidents online.

"What accountability exists when adults continuously leave sexualising and predatory comments under the videos of children and young people every single day? From my experience with reporting one of these comments to the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana, nothing changed.

The Ghanaian MP has since apologised for the comments.

Read Also: Ahafo Ano South East MP apologises for ‘I’ll marry you’ comment to schoolgirl