Tsito, July 6, GNA - Mr. Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister, on Monday called on Queen Mothers to advocate effective family life to help stem parental neglect in the country. He said this would also boost efforts of the Department of Social Welfare at protecting homeless children.

Mr. Amenowode made the call when he led executives of the Volta Regional Council of Churches, to donate food items and detergents to the Drifting Angels Orphanage, at Awudome-Tsito in the Ho Municipality. These included 10 bags of rice, five cans of cooking oil, four carto ns of soap, two bags of sugar and three cartons of tin tomatoes, worth G hc 1,057.70,. Money realised by the churches from offertory during the 2010 Nation al Thanksgiving Service was used in purchasing the items. Mr. Amenowode condemned the use of disadvantaged children for child labour and said efforts were being made to flush out illegal orphanages. Mr. Atsu Havor, Ho Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare, said that orphanages should be the last resort for keeping child ren after support from families and adoptions had failed.

Madam Elize Maman Doh Asem, founder and Manager of the Orphanage, sa id that she establish the facility in 2002 with two children because of parental neglect by some parents in the municipality. She said that the Orphanage currently has 36 children with about 50 others receiving food and health care from foster homes under an outreach

programme. Madam Asem said two children from the Orphanage were in tertiary institutions and 19 in Senior High School while one was a driver.