Regional News of Thursday, 16 October 2003

Source: GNA

Official expresses concern about child neglect

Nkoranza, Oct 16, GNA- Mr Jarvis R. Agyeman-Badu, Nkoranza District Director of Education, has expressed concern about the behaviour of some parents who refuse to take good care of their children in spite of the education about the rights of children.

Mr Agyeman-Badu was reacting to a report about the behaviour of Mr Kofi Nti, a farmer at Nkoranzafie, who has refused to educate his children.

Mr Owusu Asamoah, Nkoranza District Social Welfare Officer and Miss Sophia Adalingeah, District Girls' Education Officer, reported that a 23-year-old son of Mr Nti called Mr Solomon Osei told them that his father had withdrawn one of his sisters from school to become a house help for a woman in Accra.

He also complained that the father collected from him 1.8 million cedis being money he had realized from his barbering business and has squandered it.

Solomon told the two officers his other brother and a sister, who are still in school, lack the basic school needs because their father would not provide them.

Solomon dropped out of school at SSS Two because the father could not sponsor his education.

Mr Agyeman-Badu, on hearing the case, asked Mr Nti to rush to Accra, bring back the daughter and re-enrol her in school.

If he fails to do so the Social Welfare Department would be compelled to invite the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of the police to intervene.

Miss Adalingeah said similar cases are rampant in the district and this has resulted in increase teenage pregnancy and street child. Mr Nti when contacted could not give any tangible explanation to accusation made against him.