GH¢50 adoption fee in Ghana undesirable – Lithur

Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Nana Oye Lithur has lamented Ghana’s adoption fee of GH¢50, saying it is too low compared to others charged in other parts of the world.

Mrs Lithur, therefore, said the Ministry will be seeking parliamentary approval to increase the fee.

She said as much as £5,000 is charged in other parts of the world.

Nana Oye Lithur was speaking on Tuesday, September 16 when she appeared before Parliament’s Accounts Committee (PAC).

She answered questions on the 2013 Auditor General’s report of her ministry.

Central Adoption Authority

She said among measures adopted to review the adoption process in the country is the establishment of a Central Adoption Authority “in accordance with the Hague Convention”.

The Convention of 1993 demands the protection of children and cooperation in the respect of inter-country adoption.

She said over 70 per cent of 1,600 adoptions in 2013 involved inter-country adoptions, where the children were taken out of Ghana.

“They could be taken out by Ghanaians and then also by foreigners and this is what we want to regulate properly,” she told the Committee.

She raised worry about government’s inability to trace the welfare of adopted children but noted that regulations on the operation of orphanages have been tightened as 45 "residential homes" were closed down between 2012 and 2013.