Accra, Sept. 3, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Friday indicted the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) for managerial negligence leading to the dehumanizing and degrading treatments being meted out to the inmates of the Osu Children's Home.
"The undercover investigation by Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas at the Osu Children's Home raises some troubling questions about the kind of supervisory role being played by the DSW on the activities of some of these homes," Justice Emile Francis Short, CHRAJ Commissioner, stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The DSW is the Government's statutory agency with the mandate to regulate, promote and protect the rights of children as well as ensure the administration of justice for children at the homes in Ghana.
In the specific case of children's homes, DSW is mandated to regulate the operations of the institutions through the enforcement of the guidelines for the registration and operation of the establishments.
DSW is also required to undertake sustained monitoring of the activities of children's homes, in order to safeguard the interest and wellbeing of the children involved.
The statement said the Commission, therefore, hailed the swift call by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for a thorough investigation into the activities of the Osu Children's Home, so as to ensure that all those found to have mis-conducted themselves would face the full rigours of the law.
It explained that the swift intervention must lead to the stoppage of the alleged maltreatment of the children and make the Home a place where the children could be brought up in dignity and be able to realize their full potentials.
"The Commission also hopes that such an investigation would help disclose the identity of all those implicated in this unfortunate and despicable behaviour to serve as a deterrent to others involved in similar acts."
CHRAJ appealed to Government, the DSW and all stakeholders to endeavour to put in cogent and pragmatic measures to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all children in such homes.
The Commission also lauded the effort of Mr Anas for taking the bold step by risking his life and spending resources to bring to light some of the shameful acts.
On the documentary, CHRAJ said: 93If it represents the true picture of the situation in the Home, then it is indeed very disheartening and abhorrent that people who are trusted with the duty to take care of such a vulnerable group in the society would perpetrate such violence on the very people they are paid to protect from such harmful acts".
In spite of the revelation, CHRAJ noted that the 93task of caring for the vulnerable in Ghana should not be left to the care of a few people, but we all, like Anas, have a part to play to secure the future of our dear nation which is firmly rooted in these kids.
"It is in this light that the Commission calls on all Ghanaians and kind-hearted philanthropists not to relent in their efforts to continue donating items in cash and in kind towards securing the future of these vulnerable children in the wake of this unfortunate development."
