Tema, May 26, GNA - The general public and cooperate bodies have been called upon to support street children by providing them with education and skills as a way of securing the future of the country. Reverend Fred Osei Annin, Chief Executive Officer of Action Plus Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) who made the call at the weekend said the number of street children in the country was alarming.

He said it was the responsibility of every Ghanaian to contribute towards the care of street children adding that those children when well catered for would be the future leaders of the country. Rev. Annin was speaking at the first anniversary celebration and the commissioning of the Tema Branch of the Foundation. He said it was disheartening to see children below the age of seven selling on the streets at the expense of their education and called on all stake holders to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities to these unfortunate children. Giving a brief background of the NGO, Rev. Annin said the international Christian NGO was formed to release the pain and anguish of the disadvantaged children through counselling, workshops and skill training among others.

He said the NGO which had branches in the UK and USA partnered the Ghana AIDS Commission to educate people on the dangers of the disease and the need for behavioural change among the youth. Touching on the Foundation's plan for the future, Rev. Annin noted that it aimed at building a resource centre and to continue with the AIDS education in Africa since it had the highest infection. Rev Cadman Sakyi of the Full Gospel International Church who chaired the function called on financial institutions to provide accessible loans for the numerous NGO's to help them tackle some of the country's problems. 26 May 08