Parents urged not to neglect mentally/intellectually challenged children

Takoradi, June 4, GNA — The Western Regional Director of the Department of Women and Children, Mr John Hackman, has advised parents not to neglect and discriminate against their wards with mental and intellectual disability.

He rather urged parents to offer equal opportunities to such disabled children in the area of education, health and other material support in order to succeed in life.

He said such handicapped children had God-given talents and potentials to be great people in future to contribute their quota to the society.

Mr Hackman made these remarks at the second annual conference of the Feed My Lambs Global Ministries (FMLGM) in Takoradi on Friday under the theme:”Echoes of the silent voices”.

“If such disadvantaged children are given the right training, orientation and social interaction, they will be beneficial to humanity since there are blind and deaf people who are currently lawyers, teachers, bankers and other professionals who are contributing their quota towards the socio-economic development of this nation because disability does not mean inability,”.

The Founder of the Feed My Lambs Global Ministries, a non-governmental organization, Reverend Dr George Class Peters, said society should not consider children, who are mentally and intellectually retarded as social outcast but rather give them the necessary skill training so that they don't become beggars on the street.

“Gone are the days when children with disability are considered a curse to the family and are either left in the forest or drown in rivers because of superstitious belief”, he said.

He said the NGO hoped to established schools in the next five years to train children with disability.

The occasion was used to inaugurate Parents Association of mentally and intellectually retarded children.

GNA