Fathers call for greater recognition ahead of Father's Day celebration
As Ghana prepares to celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, June 21, some fathers have called for greater appreciation of their contributions to family life, arguing that their sacrifices and responsibilities are often overlooked.
Speaking in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), they noted that changing social and economic realities have significantly influenced the role of fathers in raising children, particularly their level of involvement in daily family activities.
Mr. Elvis Frempong said fatherhood is fundamentally about responsibility and commitment rather than public recognition.
“The celebration of Father's Day, whether in high or low spirits, is really not an issue for me. Every father has a responsibility and as such does not need recognition or commendation to execute it,” he stated.
He observed that the demands of modern life often require fathers to spend long hours away from home, leaving mothers with more direct involvement in the upbringing of children and consequently attracting greater recognition.
“I have observed that men are often so busy that women take up almost all the responsibilities relating to the children. This has given more recognition to mothers because they spend more time with the children,” he said.
Mr. Clement Gyekye also highlighted challenges faced by some fathers, particularly in homes where parents are separated. According to him, many fathers provide support for their children without their contributions being known or acknowledged.
“Although the father may provide without the knowledge of the child, the mother sometimes claims they are the ones providing and paints a picture of an irresponsible father in the minds of the children,” he noted.
He added that advances in technology have made it easier for fathers to maintain regular communication with their children regardless of distance.
“A present day father is capable of reaching out to his children at any point in time unlike former fathers who struggled to do so,” he said.
Mr. Stephen Donkor attributed the greater appreciation often shown to mothers to the amount of time they spend with children and their generally less strict approach to parenting.
“Mothers are mostly reluctant in discipline, which makes the children draw closer to them. Fathers are often feared because of their strictness,” he explained.
Apostle Stephen Ofori also called for increased recognition of fathers, stressing that many men shoulder enormous responsibilities while dealing with personal challenges that often go unnoticed.
“It is unfortunate how mothers are appreciated more than fathers. I am not disputing the fact that women need to be appreciated, but the same attention and even more should be given to men.
“Fathers carry the family on their shoulders and mostly fight silent battles they barely speak about,” he said.
Apostle Ofori further noted that while fathers today continue to fulfil their responsibilities, parenting and discipline were generally stricter in previous generations, contributing to stronger adherence to family values.
He appealed for greater appreciation of fathers and encouraged men to remain committed to their duties as parents, mentors and role models within society.
The calls come as families across the country prepare to celebrate Father's Day and reflect on the contributions fathers make to the growth and wellbeing of their children and families.