Apam chief to deal with child neglect

Apam (C/R) June 23 GNA - The Chief of Apam, Nana Effrim X, has put in place bye-laws to deal with parents who neglected their children and those who made noise at night.

Nana Effrim who announced this at a meeting with church leaders at Apam on Sunday said offenders would be fined 50.00 Ghana cedis when arrested by the taskforce that had been formed to enforce the laws. He said children less than 18 years who would be seen at the beaches, operating corn mills, and patronizing video centres during school hours would be arrested and his or her parents would be fined. Nana Effrim said: "Some religious bodies often chanted from 1800 hours to 0300 hours despite the public disturbance laws," adding, "such lawlessness would no longer be entertained in the town".

The Gomoa West District Social Welfare Officer, Mr Wallace Akyeampong said statistics indicate that about 30 per cent of children in the area were neglected by their parents.

He said that habit was not good and against the law and therefore urged parents to desist from the practice.

Mr Akyeampong expressed regret that some children in their uniforms were seen loitering at the beaches or watching pornographic films at video centres or riding bicycles during school hours and said it was the responsibility of parents to provide the basic needs of their children. Reverend Father Patrick Offin of the Roman Catholic Church said school enrolment in the Central Region was very low and appealed to stakeholders to help reverse the situation.

Rev. Captain Godwin Kumeto of the Salvation Army Church called on parents who rushed to schools to quarrel with teachers for punishing their wards to desist from that act because it did not promote education.