13-year-old girl drags father to CHRAJ

Axim (W/R) Oct. 19, GNA-Miss Elizabeth Kwofie, a 13-year-old girl of Axim, has dragged her father, Mr Samuel Kwofie, 45-year-old worker of Nsein Senior Secondary School to the CHRAJ district office for deprivation of education and maintenance.

Miss Kwofie told officials of the Nzema East District office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice that her father had failed to give "fatherly care, education and maintenance".

She told the Commission her grandmother who had been responsible for her life had died and that her father should be made to sponsor her to learn a trade since she could not now go to school at her age.

Mr Kwofie, who was summoned before CHRAJ office, confirmed that he had not been responsible for the upkeep of the girl.

He explained that his daughter had been disrespectful to him and that she had refused to stay with him since his marriage to her mother crashed several years ago.

Miss Kwofie's mother, Madam Elizabeth Osei, told the CHRAJ that Mr Kwofie neglected her daughter when she was two year's old and as she was not in a gainful employment, she travelled to Cote d'Ivoire, leaving her with my mother who is now dead.

Mr William Osafo-Offinam, District CHRAJ Commissioner told the GNA that Mr Kwofie has now accepted to sponsor the daughter to learn dressmaking.

He said this is the first time since the commission was established in the district five years ago that a child had voluntarily dragged the father to CHRAJ for failing his responsibilities.

This, he said, meant that CHRAJ's educational activities had not rpt not been in vain in the district.

He said if adequate logistical support is provided, the district office would move into all the first and second cycle institutions to educate the youth on their rights and responsibilities.