Ho, Jan. 19, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in 2008 resolved 772 out of 1388 human rights and related cases in the Volta Region. Mr Carlos Menash, Principal Investigator of the Commission who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Ho said Keta Municipal area recorded the highest number of cases numbering 304 with Jasikan district recording the least number of cases which stood at 65. He said child maintenance cases topped the list and stood at 339. Mr Mensah said 65 cases have been withdrawn, 75 dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, 11 rejected for delay in presentation of petition and five decided on merit without mediation or hearing.

He said 16 other cases have been heard, three rejected on exercise of discretion, seven rejected for lack of mandate, 43 referred to other jurisdictions and 37 are to be settled by the parties themselves. Mr Mensah attributed the rise in child maintenance cases in the region to the upsurge in teenage parents and improper marriages. He explained that in most cases, the teenage parents were unemployed and could not fend for themselves let alone their children. Mr Mensah attributed the success of the Commission in resolving many cases as compared to previous years to the cooperation of parties involved.