Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - The Ghana Media Advocacy Programme (G-MAP), a child rights non-governmental organization (NGO), has called on individuals, organisations and Government to consider children as the country's most valuable asset, and take concrete steps to ensure their safety, welfare and development.

It said video scenes captured in undercover investigations on the Osu Children's Home in Accra, by Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas, journalist of the New Crusading Guide news paper, was horrifying and dehumanising. A statement signed by Mr Malik Abdul Jeleel, Executive Director of the NGO, and made available to GNA, condemned "the degrading treatment that was meted out to inmates of the Home, consisting, children, including orphans, some of whom were disabled as shown on the video." It called on Government to investigate the matter and initiate effective mechanisms to protect all children, especially those in orphanages.

The statement advocated strict enforcement of the children's Act and support for the Department of Social Welfare, to enable it to fulfill its role of seeking the welfare of children and monitoring the activities of orphanages in the country. It commended Anas for bringing to light problems affecting the development of children in the country. The statement, however, advised him "not to show the identity of child victims in subsequent reports in accordance with the Ghana Journalists Association code of ethics, which is as well in consistent to International Federation of Journalists guidelines and the UNICEF principles for ethical reporting on children." It indicated that apart from journalists seeking to promote the well-being of and development of children, efforts should be made to protect them against media violence and sensational news. The statement supported the swift call by the Attorney General for an investigation to be conducted into the activities of the Osu Children's Home. It appealed to "individuals and organisations both local and international to continue to donate in cash and in kind towards securing the future of these vulnerable children in the wake of this unfortunate development".