Sunyani records high child maintenance cases

Sunyani, July 14, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the Department of Social Welfare recorded 92 cases of child maintenance in the first quarter of the year, Mrs. Olivia Avudzega, programme head of the Department, has said.

She said the Department recorded 27 cases of child custody, 20 cases of paternity and 35 cases of family welfare.

Mrs. Avudzega said this at a meeting of the regional Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) in Sunyani.

The meeting was organized by the regional office of the Department of Children and was attended by representatives of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, the judicial Service, National Population Council Muslim Mission, and department of Community Development.

Mrs. Avudzega said the department documented 26 cases of general welfare, six cases of child welfare and 27 cases of house and related issues.

Mr. Hammond Oppong Kwarteng, Regional Director of the Department of Children noted with regret that child trafficking and child labour were gaining prominence in the region.

He mentioned Pru, Atebubu/Amantin and Asutifi as the districts noted for these inhumane activities.

Mr. Oppong said the department had set up committees in the 22 municipals and districts of the region to monitor and ensure the holistic development of the child in the areas of education, health and protection.

He expressed regret about the alarming rate of maltreatment of children with disabilities by their parents who sometimes denied them of formal education.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Kwaku Amoako, Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, expressed concern about the upsurge of teenage pregnancy particularly among children within the ages of 14-16 years.

He noted that the lives of such children were always in danger since majority of them take in concoctions to terminate the pregnancies.

Mr Amoako appealed to parents to be extra careful about the movement of their children so they would not join peers who could ruin their future.