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DAY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE HELD
IN GHANA By Okyerema Akyampon
Press Release | Tue, 27 Nov 2007
Four community campaigns to raise public awareness on the issue of child abuse and on the
need for implementing measures that protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect were launched at Mankessim
in the Central region, New Edubiase, Kwadaso, a suburb of Kumasi, all of Ashanti region and at Sefwi Juabuso on
the occasion of the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, 19 November. The campaigns were organised by the Centre
for Human Development & Social Change, the Mankessim Enyan-Abaasa Development Foundation, the Centre for National
Culture, the International Centre for African Culture & Arts, the Adansi South offices of the N.C.C.E, OBAATANPA
International, Ghana and the Sefwi Juaboso District Junior High School.
The Mankessim programme featured
performances by many cultural groups that included Okyeremapanyin Kojo Gurah and the Harbour Stars Bosoe group, Kwaanan and
the Kyidom Percussion Ensemble, Otuakwan Alhassan and the Ebibiman, Kwesi Yennu and the Akwakrom Abele group, Ato Hanson and
the Obrumankoma Traditionals as well as a WONSUOM Women's group from Edumadze.
Speaking at the programme,Mr. Dag Akyeampong,
the programme director of the CHDSCGhana appealed to all parents to take good care of their children and to put structures
in place to prevent the children being abused.
On his part, Dr. K. Quainoo, a retired health personnel from the Ministry
of Health advised all parents to register their children with the National Health Insurance scheme to take care of their
health needs.
Nana Ama Aminsah, the Mankessim queenmother who is also the CEO of the Mankessim Enyan-Abaasa Development
Foundation called on some of the market women to stop the exploitation of child labour in the market. She also advised
that the children should be sent to school rather than have them be in the market selling ice water, confectionaries
and toileteries.
Mr. Willie Klutse, a director of the Adansi-South NCCE office, speaking at the New Edubiase
event called on the parents to take advantage of the free education and free food programme by the government to educate
their children. He also appealed to teachers in the district to stop using the cane in the classroom.
At Kwadaso, a
suburb in Kumasi, the event attracted many dignatories. Speaking at the event, Alhaji Baba Ali, a businessman called on the
children to take their education serious as they are the future of the nation. He advised them not to spend all the time watching
television or playing video games.
Mrs. Comfort Ampong, a radio presenter on Kessben Fm and a board member of the
SPACE YOUTH PROJECT -Kumasi Branch appealed to mothers to give proper traditional upbringing and education to their children
in order for them to grow up to become good parents in the future. She also spoke against many parents sending their children
into the street to sell to supplement the family income.
Ms. Sabina Youpele, the Executive Director of the CHDSCGhana
and the headteacher of the Sefwi Juabuso District Assembly public school called on the children to take their education serious.
She commended the school's SPACE programme where the children are being empowered through arts, science, sports and media
literacy. She appealed to International sponsors to come to the aid of the CHDSCGhana to be able to set up a community radio
station in the district since there is no radio station for mass educational programmes. She also appealled to the Community
health Centre to produce an awareness kit for use by child care providers, social workers and parents to educate children
to protect themselves against sexual abuse.
Mr. Evans Abeeku Bugyei, an educationist from Kumasi who a guest speaker
at the Sefwi Juabuso programme called on the people to stop child trafficking to Abidjan. He said the proximity of the district
to La Cote D'Ivoire is not a licence for middlemen to smuggle children into the neighbouring country to have them engage in
all sorts of child labor activities.
Sabina Youpele, Ms.
Executive Director,
Centre for Human Development
& Social Change,Ghana
P.O.Box DK 163 Darkuman-Accra, Ghana. West Africa
https://chdscghana.tripod.com/enyidado/
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