Koforidua, June 22, GNA - Mrs Margaret Kutsoati, the Deputy Director of Social Welfare in-charge of Justice Administration, has reminded private orphanages that they have no authority to give out children under their care for adoption. She said all adoptions have to be legally registered so that the interest of the children could be protected at all times. Mrs Kutsoati was speaking at a one-day Eastern Regional Dissemination Workshop that the Department of Social Welfare organised at Koforidua on Tuesday.

Fifty participants from the Judicial Service, CHRAJ, WAJU, Police, Prisons, District Assemblies and district social welfare officers from the Eastern Region attended the workshop that the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) sponsored. Mrs Kutsoati said some orphanages had become moneymaking ventures since funds realized from donors were not used in the interest of the children.

''The sad aspect of it is that the orphanages give out the children for adoption for which they collect monies.'' Mr Anthony Amoah Aturi, the District Magistrate for Koforidua, suggested to district assemblies to cater for women serving prison terms with their babies.