Five juveniles on remand absconds

Five out of six juveniles, ordered by the court to be held at the Asawase Remand Home in Kumasi have escaped.

The incident took place on April 12, and a report had been made to the Police.

Mr Francis Agyei, the Warden, who made this known when members of the Ashanti Regional Child Protection Network toured the facility, said the juveniles were aided by the poor security arrangement at the Home.

Established in 1948, the Home has over the years been left to deteriorate, with the dormitories now in an awful state.

Mr Agyei also complained about the small size of grant they have been receiving from the government to feed the inmates, and run of the Home.

He said for the whole of last year, the Home, which serves both the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Regions, was given GH¢500.00 as grant.

The facility is, therefore, forced to depend on food handouts from the Kumasi Children’s Home.

Mr Jacob Achulo, Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, described the state of neglect of the facility as regrettable.

He pleaded with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and other corporate bodies to help improve conditions at the place.

Mr Prince Ohene Koranteng, Communication Director of the Defence for Children International- Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, said the visit was to help members of the Network to acquaint themselves with the problems at the Home to determine the sort of assistance they could give.