Ho, Aug. 28, GNA - Mr Bright Appiah, Director of Child's Rights International, on Saturday bemoaned the absence of child correctional centres in the regions of Ghana.

He said the only two centres at Swedru and Accra also lacked facilities bringing the welfare of children at such centres into question.

Mr Appiah expressed these concerns at a two-day media training workshop on "How to report on children's issues" in Ho organised in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Plan Ghana with support from the European Commission.

Mr Appiah said the absence of well equipped child correctional centres accounted for the mixing up of juveniles and adult in adult cells in the country, which was not in the best interest of the child.

He said the situation undermined Ghana's credential as an advocate of children's rights and called for the establishment of correctional centres in all 10 regions of the country.

Mr Appiah said this would help Probation Officers of the Social Welfare Department to monitor the reformation of children there more easily and appropriately.

He said it would also challenge parents to exercise their responsibilities of visiting their children regularly.

Mr Appiah urged the media to be less focused on politics and help to promote and to protect the rights of children.

"The media must help protect the dignity and privacy of children," he said.

Mr Affail Monney, Vice President of GJA observed that the media's portrayal of children had profound effect on them and their future behavior. He therefore called for circumspection in reporting on children especially those who were in conflict with the law.

"We are partly to be blamed for some societal challenges so we must desist from all unprofessional tendencies including pornographic journalism, which affect children badly," he said.

Mr Monney attributed lapses from the media in reporting on children's issue to ignorance of the law and lack of knowledge on how to report on children and urged media personnel to read wide.

Mr Shadrack Frimpong of Plan Ghana said though Ghana ratified all international laws on children's rights, there were still gaps in the implementation of juvenile justice and appealed to the media to help "duty bearers" to commit themselves to the enforcement of the laws to ensure the welfare of the Ghanaian child.

Mr Victor Kwawukume, Volta Regional Chairman of GJA urged media practitioners to develop interest in issues of children and "use the power of the pen" to compel authorities to act in the interest of children.