Adoption in Ghana is free but some orphanages were charging $14k – Nana Oye

Adoption is free that is the revelation coming from a former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo.

She, however, said there were some orphanages in Ghana who were charging couples for as high as $14,000 before giving out a child for adoption.

The sad aspect is that it was a social service worker who was charging the amount for baby adoption.

A document she released as proof of her claim that adoption is free shows that the only money one pays for adopting a child is for documentation and that does not exceed GH¢3,000.

“We are telling Ghanaians that there are no costs to adoption. The only cost is the form when you go to the Regional Social Welfare Office and you pick up a form you would be asked to pay, I don’t think it is more than GH¢300 or GH¢400 and you are given a receipt. The other cost would be court and that one too the Registrar of the court at the filling section will give you a receipt.

She also said, “Government has absorbed all the cost, the Social Welfare Officers are paid by government, the work they do paid by government so there is no cost beyond the form”.

Last week, the Economic and Organized Crime Office, EOCO and the Medical and Dental Council operation led to the arrest of 11 suspects in a baby syndicate case.

Two baby boys who are four months old and less than a month old who were offered for sale at GH¢30,000 and GH¢28,000 were rescued in the process.

Nana Oye also budget allocated to social welfare and social protection get under %1 of the national budget and called on government to prioritise issues of social welfare and children.