Winneba, June 5, GNA - The Executive Director of Rescue Foundation, Ghana, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Mrs Sylvia Hinson-Ekong has expressed concern about the alarming rate of child abuse in the country.

She has, therefore, called on policy makers to ensure that those who violate the laws and conventions on child rights are made to face the full rigours of the law.

Mrs Hinson-Ekong was opening a three-day training workshop on child development, child rights and protection at the University of Education, Winneba.

Fifty participants made up of thirty men and twenty women who are students of the University of Education, attended the workshop. They were taken through topics such as child development, child labour, laws in Ghana on child development, human trafficking, verbal and non-verbal communication.

Mrs. Hinson-Ekong noted that, the workshop would equip the participants who are student teachers and would be opinion leaders and role models with effective communication skills in order to assess the behaviour of the children they would be teaching. She reminded parents to give love and care to children in order to enhance their physical and psychological growth. She condemned all forms of child abuse with special reference to child labour, child trafficking, child soldiery, among others going on in some African countries.

The project officer of Rescue Foundation, Ghana, Mr Edward Kwesi Nyamekye said the child labour and child trafficking were prevalent in the Effutu Municipality. Mr. Nyamekye said his outfit would organize seminars and workshops for parents to sensitize them on the need to help in combating child abuse.