Nyameani (Ash), March 24, GNA- Forty pupils in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma district of Ashanti would this year benefit from the child protection project.

Under the package, the children will be assisted with the payment of their school fees, provided with uniforms and books, Mr Ted Oppong, Focal Person of the project in the district, said on Monday at Nyameani. He said last year, 15 pupils in the district benefited from the project and that this helped them to stay in school and learn.

Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of Nyameani for the creation of awareness on the project on Friday, Mr Oppong called on all not to politicise the child panel project since it was non-partisan. He asked the pupils who would benefit from the project to learn hard.

Mr Bright Addai-Mununkum, the District Chief Executive, said the assembly would sustain the project when it winds up in June 2004 until the sponsors renewed it.

He said even if the sponsors do not renew the sponsorship, the assembly will continue with it since it was a source of relief to some parents.

Mr Addai-Mununkum urged parents to make the proper upbringing of their children their priority so that the children would grow up to become useful citizens and not liabilities.

Miss Mingle Sarpomaa, a social welfare officer, attributed the rising number of street children to parental neglect, pointing out that these children end up becoming prostitutes, armed robbers and drug addicts.

She therefore called on parents particularly the men to support their children to attain good education in life so that they would grow up to become responsible citizens.

In an address read on his behalf, Nana Owusu Adusei Panin II, chief of Nyameani, cautioned the youth who had not yet attained 18 years not to register since they would be committing an electoral offence. 24 March 04