Engage Social Welfare officers for support instead of abandoning your children – Gender Minister

Ms. Dakoa Newman, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, is urging persons who abandon their children at unsafe places to desist from the practice which could endanger their lives.She said instead of exposing such children to danger, they should engage the Department of Social Welfare to discuss the best way to handle the situation.The Minister gave the advice when she visited the Kumasi Children's Home as part of her two-day working visit to the Ashanti Region.She was at the facility, together with officials of the Ministry, to learn at first hand challenges confronting the Home as part of efforts towards addressing challenges in public orphanages.The goal is to ensure that the children are brought up in a safe and nurturing environment.Currently, 71 children are being provided shelter, care, protection and education at the Kumasi Children's Home, which was established in 1965 to provide care for vulnerable children.The Minister said much as government was committed to resourcin g the facility to take good care of the children, it was important for the public to support them to ensure their needs were adequately taken care of.'As the government is doing all it can to provide for the children, we continue to encourage others to also support as their social responsibility,' she noted.She expressed satisfaction with the conditions in the facility although admitting that more could be done to improve the situation.'The government is committed to ensuring that our vulnerable children are catered for because they also have the same rights as any other child and these rights must not be infringed on,' she added.She gave the assurance that her Ministry would take steps to address challenges identified, which were mostly financial and staffing issues.Source: Ghana News Agency