MR. GEORGE YAW Ankamah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director, Department of children under the Ministry of Gender, children and Social Protection, has challenged all stakeholders, especially heads of institutions to give the necessary support and attention to the Child and family welfare Policy to in order to make it more proactive in addressing issues related to child abuse in the society.
He said the policy when given the needed attention, would enhance the setting up of preventive mechanisms instead of the reactionary system currently in place.
Addressing the Heads of Catholic institutions at a workshop organized by the Centre For Human Development of the National Catholic Secretariat, to sensitize and educate Heads of Catholic Institutions on Child Protection, Mr. Ankamah, explained that, the Child and family welfare Policy seeks to establish a well-structured and coordinated Child and Family Welfare system that promotes the well-being of children, prevents abuse and protects children from harm.
According to him the policy statement is guided by national and internationally recognized principles as well as values, beliefs and practices specific to the country, ensuring that the Child and Family Welfare System will be ‘fit’ for the context of Ghana.
He indicated that, the rationale of the Child and Family Welfare Policy is to provide guidance to child and Family welfare programmes and activities and establish a coherent system.
He revealed that, the policy is applicable to each sector and is expected to provide guidance for legislation, strategy plans, actions plans and intervention-specific standards and protocols concerning the protection of children. The overall goal of the Child and Family Welfare Policy he disclosed is to establish an effective child and family welfare system.
He underscored that, parenting is a complex, and if one does not take care, he/she may go wayward instead, and hence urged all stakeholders to rally behind the policy to help raise responsible citizens for the country.
Rev. Father John Amankwah, the Regional Director of Catholic Schools, expressed his profound gratitude to the organizers for giving them as heads of the institutions the opportunity to inculcate such knowledge in them.
He stressed the need for children to be handled carefully and their ideas and future aspirations nurtured.
Rev. Father Emmanuel Mensah, Director of Centre for Human Development (CEHUD), stated that, the centre is determined to ensure that, child abuse in various forms are minimized to the barest minimum.
He said in other to achieve such an aim, there is the need to educate the stakeholders in the sector to champion the course.
