Kumasi, Feb 18, GNA - Mr. Pascal Osei-Twumasi, Ashanti Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, has said the department recorded 782 Child Maintenance cases in 2007 out of which 605 cases were successfully handled. He attributed the surge in such cases to the irresponsible behaviour of some men to cater for their children. Mr. Osei-Twumasi, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi at the weekend, appealed to men to be more responsible to their children to help reduce such cases in the region. He said the department also recorded 383 cases of Family Reconciliation of which 312 were handled whilst 158 cases of child custody out of 180 were also disposed off.

The Regional Director stated that during the year under review, the Department recorded 200 paternity cases out of which 178 were successfully handled.

Mr. Osei-Twumasi said in order to minimize such social problems, the Department had plans to intensify its education at both the Regional and the District levels.

He stressed the need for proprietors of Day-Care Centres and Orphanage Homes to register with the Department to enable it monitor and supervise their operations and activities. He said his outfit would organize in-service training courses to equip Day-Care attendants.

Mr. Osei-Twumasi said some of the constraints facing the Department include lack of funds, inadequate personnel as well as lack of computers and other equipment and appealed to the government to address such problems.