NGO's urged to collaborate with stakeholders

Accra, Sept 03, GNA - Professor Samuel Awuku Amoa, Director General of the Ghana Aids Commission (GAC), on Friday called for a better collaboration and coordination between institutions and stakeholders working on orphans and vulnerable children in the country. He said without cooperation it would be difficult to achieve anything and let alone make any impact on the people.

"It is only when we work as a team that we can save our children from disaster," Prof Amoa said at the close of a four-day National Congress on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Accra. The congress, which was organised by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) and supported by United Children's Nations Education Fund (UNICEF) was on theme: " Enhancing the protective environment for the children: OVC our collective responsibility" The objective of the congress was to disseminate the results of OVC studies conducted in Ghana as well as create recommendations for priority programme interventions, based on the knowledge and experiences shared and generated at the forum.

The congress attracted participants from the ministries, departments, agencies, traditional leaders, child clubs and several civil society organisations including faith-based organisations.

Prof Amoa said NGOs seemed to be fighting among themselves for recognition and power rather than seeking the welfare of the Ghanaian child.

Mrs Frema Osei Opare, the Deputy Minister of Manpower Development and Employment who read the recommendations made by the participants, called for strengthening the capacity of the Department of Social Welfare to provide social welfare services.

She called for the establishment and expansion of child panels in the regions and districts to address the violation of children's rights and ensure their access to services. The recommendations suggested the establishment of a Children's Vulnerability Fund to be administered by the MOWAC in collaboration with the multi-sector committee on child protection that is under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice.