Child neglect on the increase in Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District

Suhum, Nov 11, GNA - The Deputy District Officer In-charge of Department of Social Welfare in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District, Miss Takyiwaa Opong, has expressed concern about the high rate of parental neglect of children in the district.

She said between January and October the department recorded over 140 of such cases in the district with most of the children between five and 18 years.

Miss Takyiwaa said the when the Manager of the Jehovah Repha Foundation Orphanage Village, an NGO at Suhum, Mr Jonathan Obeng, met officials of the department to brief them on projects at the orphanage. She said some of the children were always found on the streets and lorry stations, pushing trucks and indulging in social vices like gambling.

Miss Takyiwaa said with the help of the assembly members, the Unit Committees and the opinion leaders, some of the parents were traced, arrested and brought to the department and that after investigation, the parents were asked to pay some amounts for the up keep of the children. Mr Obeng said the Village had constructed a dormitory at the cost of 500 million cedis and is also undertaking the construction a well and water septic reservoir at the cost of 309 million cedis.