Community child protection personnel attend workshop

Bolgatanga, Jan. 10, GNA - Personnel from Community Child Protection Teams (CPTs) in Bolgatanga Municipality have attended a two-day workshop in Bolgatanga. Topics treated included, childhood development, child labour, child migration, child rights, child trafficking, births and deaths registration, child fostering and healthcare. The teams established in 48 communities within the municipality, has eight members including a girl working on voluntary basis. They were formed in 2003 jointly by Department of Social Welfare (DSW) and Department of Community Development (DCD) to address issues affecting the growth and development of children. Speaking to Ghana News Agency, Madam Mercy Pwavra, Bolgatanga Municipal Director of DSW said many children who were denied education were attending school after their parents were sensitized by the team. She noted that most parents, were not aware that it was illegal not to send their children to school and made them undertake animal shepherding and petty trading.

Madam Pwavra said there had been a reduction in child labour and migration, early marriages, sexual abuse and increase in the integration of the disabled into skills training at rehabilitation centres and registration of births and deaths in the various communities. Mr Richard Adongo, Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Department of Community Development said the project had attracted the attention of development partners including the Department of Women and Children and International Labour Organization (ILO). He urged the personnel to work together and report urgent issues to the appropriate authorities for the necessary action but not take the law into their hands. Some of the personnel complained that their lives were sometimes threatened by parents and this did not augur well for the child's development. They appealed for some allowance to enable them perform efficiently and effectively.