Committee worried about the upsurge of game centres

March 17, 2011
Sunyani, March 17, GNA - The 15-member Brong-Ahafo Regional multi-sectoral Child Right Committee on Wednesday expressed worry about the upsurge in commercial video game centres in the Sunyani Municipality.

The committee has therefore appealed to the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the relevant institutions to enact bye-laws that would control such centres.

Members of the committee raised these concerns at a meeting in Sunyani to deliberate on issues that affected the proper upbringing and development of children in the region.

The committee is made up of representatives of the Municipal and District Assemblies, Department of Social Welfare, National Commission on Civic Education, Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Education Service, Information Service Department and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Police.

They noted with regret that because of the proliferation of such centres, students stayed away from schools and classes to visit such centres to play video games to the detriment of the studies.

This had contributed to school dropouts and poor performance of students especially in the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Mr Hammond Oppong Kwarteng, Regional Director of the Department of Children, advised teachers and parents to monitor the movement of their children and ensure that when the leave house they go to school and remain in school.

Mr Kwarteng said the proper upbringing of children was a societal responsibility and asked the general public to lend their support.

Mrs Halimatu Nuhu, Regional Director of CHRAJ, said cases of child non-maintenance were still high in the region and appealed to parents to adhere to their responsibilities and ensure their children grow to become responsible adults.

She said child neglect and other forms of abuses were offences and advised the general public to report such cases to the commission.

Mrs Nuhu appealed to parents to place premium on the education of their children and to provide them with the basic necessities to sustain their interest in school.

GNA