Do not settle rape or defilement cases at home - GNCC

The Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) has reiterated its call on parents not to settle rape or defilement cases at home since it constituted a criminal offence.

The Eastern Regional Coordinator of GNCC, Mr Seth Oduro-Boateng made this known at a seminar for parents at Suyhen/Mpaem, in the New Juaben Municipality on Tuesday.

"People do not have the right to settle such cases outside the courts", he stressed. He said sexual abuse on children should not be covered since such incidents had long-term effects on the children and, therefore, offenders should be made to face the full rigours of the law.

Mr Oduro-Boateng also called on parents to make it mandatory to send their children to school to at least junior secondary school level to enable them to have the rudiment in basic literacy. He said children like adults, had the right to life, develop and participate in matters that concerned them and of protection.

He called on the parents in the community to form a broad-based committee to monitor other parents to make sure that they sent their children to school.

The Eastern Regional Court Officer of the Social Welfare, Mr Joseph Adu cautioned parents against the use of abusive words on their wards since such acts dampened their spirit. He also called on parents to talk to their children in a corrective manner when they are wrong rather than abuse.

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng called on parents not to compare their wards to others when they themselves had not done anything to cater for their up-bringing.

He further called on parents to train their children to have good morals to make them abstain from pre-marital sex in order not to contract the HIV/AIDS disease.