By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Assin Akropong (C/R), Oct. 17, GNA – The
Central Regional Office of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) has
intensified public education on child rights and abuses in the Region through
drama.
The initiative geared towards effectively
reducing the menace of child abuse that had derailed the dreams of many
children, was organized by CNC with support from UNICEF, in collaboration with
the Social Welfare and Community Development, Ghana Education Service (GES),
and Ghana Police Service.
Speaking at separate sensitisation fora at
Akropong in the Assin North District and Assin Nyankomasi in Assin Fosu
Municipality on Tuesday, Madam Christina Carl Oparebea, Regional Director of
CNC urged the people to respect child rights and end abuses.
She advocated for a unified approach in
developing preventive and response mechanisms to child protection issues.
She reminded stakeholders on the need to use
their platforms to mount public education to enhance the welfare of children.
It was imperative that all children especially
those in deprived communities were given the needed protection and support to
enable them realize their God-given potentials, Madam Oparebea noted and told
parents to prioritise the welfare of their children and invest in their
development for brighter future.
Mr Mustapha Okai Aryee, Assin Central
Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, appealed to
parents to desist from marrying off their girls at tender ages.
Despite government policies and laws against
the practice, which declared the practice as crime, it was still prevalent and
needed the combined efforts to enforce those legal provisions because it
infringed on their rights as children.
Chief Inspector Comfort Adamtey, Station
Officer of the Domestic violence and Victims Support Unit (DVVSU) in Assin Fosu
Municipality, said the Unit’s desire was to empower the citizenry on their
rights under the Domestic Violence Act (Act 732).
She mentioned cases of domestic violence to
include physical, psychological and verbal abuses assaults, forced marriages,
threats, rape, incest, sexual harassment and sodomy, illegal adoption, abortion
among others.
Chief Inspector Adamtey underlined the need
for religious and civil society organizations to join efforts at reducing the
incidence of domestic violence against women and children and advised Ghanaians
to be abreast with the law to fight for their rights.
She assured the public of absolute
professionalism and impartiality from the Police to handle domestic violence
issues and urged them to report all forms of abuses to the police immediately.
Nana Kotoka Yiadom II, Chief of Akropong
complained about the use of children in farms, which had deprived many children
access to free quality education.
He encouraged those in school to study hard to
enable them achieve their aims and admonished parents to be closer to their
children to enable them disclose issues of abuses with them.
GNA