‘Let’s provide adequate protection for children’
Compassion International Ghana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on churches and governmental and non-governmental organisations to put in place pragmatic measures to provide adequate protection for children.
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According to Mr Padmore Baffour Agyapong, the Country Director of Compassion International, the organisation works closely with churches to safeguard and protect the rights of children. He said, churches needed to rise up and speak out for children to minimise the high rate of child abuse in Ghana.
Theme of conference
He was addressing a three-day national pastors’ conference in Accra on the theme, “Child protection: A call for action”. The occasion was also used to launch the 2014 annual report of Compassion International Ghana.
About 220 pastors and representatives of churches, including the Methodist Church of Ghana, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Church of Pentecost, the Anglican Church, Assemblies of God, the Baptist Church and the International Central Gospel Church, participated in the programme to discuss best ways to deal with child abuse, child neglect, abandonment and family welfare.
Participants also used the forum to share experiences in handling cases of child abuse and recommended measures for stakeholders to take action to protect children.
Time to speak out
Commenting on the recent recording of a nanny abusing a two-year old baby girl left in her care in Uganda, which went viral on social media, Mr Agyapong described the case as “unfortunate and despicable”.
He also stated that the protection of children was a collective responsibility, adding that, “We must all do our best to ensure that our children are fully secured”.
Plight of children
Speaking on the plight of children, a representative of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in Madina, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ms Christine Srofenyo, said the rampant rate of child abuse affected the well-being of children.
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According to her, the laws of Ghana fully guaranteed the rights of children and protected them from all forms of abuse.