Blindman sacrifices daughter's education for leisure

Wa, Sept. 1, GNA - A blind man at Dornye in the Wa West District has bought a motor bike and removed his daughter from school to be sending him round places he wanted to go.

Mr. Jor Yorkyilla is not poor but his behaviour is to sacrifice the daughter's education for his leisure in the community. Members of the Night of Children's Clubs (NOC) told the deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Madam Winifred Bawa Dy-Yakah at a forum to mark the Ghanaian Child Day at Wa on Sunday.

The children who are members of Miidan Eucation Trust a child centred NGO appealed to the organisation to intervene and persuade Mr. Yorkyilla to send the girl back to school to continue her education. The ROC members said, it had come to their notice that some parents were also encouraging the children to migrate to the south to work and raise money to help pay their school fees.

This practice had caused some children to drop out of school while others also engaged in hazardous work.

They said it was still common practice in some communities to see parents leaving the sick children alone in the house while they embarked on drinking spree in the communities instead of taking them to the hospital for medical attention.

The children called on district assemblies to support NGOs to educate the people on the right of children. We want all available laws that guarantee the rights of children be implemented and obeyed, they explained. The ROC members contended that children of school- going age were still denied education.

"We are asked to listen and not to speak thereby violating the UN conventions and mandate," they said. The children however, agreed that with the passing of the Children's Act had helped to reduce child abuse and neglect considerably in some communities.

The ROC members called on the media to give attention to children rights issues in their reportage pointing out that child rights issues were still in the low side. Madam Dy-Yakah told the children that government was committed to ensuring that all children enjoyed equal rights, opportunities and facilities. He said children are future leaders and parents should pay much attention to needs and aspirations of their children by providing them with quality education to make them responsible citizens. The Deputy Minister called for the capacity building of mothers on how to improve the handling of children issues. Madam Dy-Yakah also called for collaboration among parents and politicians to carry out campaign to sensitise the people on the opportunities that existed for children education and welfare.