Media is a good partner in child protection -Director

Ho, May 19, GNA- Mr Prosper Afenyo, Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC), has urged the media to remain as good partners in the country’s pursuit of child protection.

He said the role of the media in unearthing emerging child protection issues and abuses against children in society could not be underestimated, and that it was important for all to support the media in this drive.

Mr Afenyo, speaking at the first quarter session of the Regional Child Protection Committee (RCPC), said addressing child protection issues was sine qua non in protecting their future and that of the country.

The Chief Director who is also the Chairman of the RCPC, noted that the Committee was committed to championing the safety and protection of children in all the three stages of their development.

Mr Emmanuel Nyarko-Tetteh, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, said any country that sought to develop must pay critical attention to issues of children, especially early childhood development.

He said though Ghana was doing well regarding child protection, there were some areas where the country had to improve upon and called on relevant stakeholders to come on board.

Mr Nyarko-Tetteh said each and every one had a responsibility towards children, focusing on protection of their rights and ensuring that they received the best training to become responsible citizens.

He said the future of the country would be in jeopardy if conscious efforts were not made and right mechanisms put in place to enhance the wellbeing of children.

“Volta region is doing well, last year we worked with the office of Head of Local Government Service to conduct a contract performance review and the region came first and was awarded,” he stated.

Mr Nyarko-Tetteh commended the Region for effort made so far in advancing the wellbeing of children and asked that the good work continue for the betterment of the country’s future.

Mr Israel Akrobortu, Volta Regional Director of Department of Children, said his outfit had embarked on rigorous campaign in the quarter under review to raise awareness of child protection issues.

He said the Department had provided training for 50 teachers on positive discipline tools in Nkwanta in the Oti Region under the auspices of World Vision Ghana.

The Department trained the Agotime-Ziope District Child Protection Committee on best approach to handing child protection issues, also with support from World Vision Ghana.

Mr Akrobortu said though behavioural change would take a long time, it was an indispensable element in child protection, hence his outfit would not relent in its quest to bring the needed change required to protect the rights and wellbeing of all children.

Source: Ghana News Agency