The availability of natural resources without the accompanying human resource for its exploitation and benefits to development leaves the country vulnerable to foreign exploitation. Giving a key-note address at a Seminar organized in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday, 12th December on the theme “Prevention and Elimination of Child Sexual Exploitation in Ghana”’ Mr. Addy-Nayo stated that children need protection and investments in their ability to help them explore and develop their unlimited human resources into adulthood for the development of the country. He stated that investments in the nation’s human resources will outlive similar investments made in oil rigs or oil exploitation.

He mentioned that the excessive fixiation on the newly discovered Oil reserves as a silver bullet solution to the problems confronting the country is a source of worry and concern. He contended that if a similar raging debate devoted to the exploitation and distribution of Oil resources could equally be directed to the development and exploitation of our human resources, Ghana would be in a position to find indigenous solutions to its development challenges instead of its heavy reliance on foreign donors whose objectives are often not in the nation’s interest. He called for European-wide Directives to prosecute EU based Pedophiles who commit Sexual Offenses against Children in Africa.

The Seminar which is part of an ongoing Project between NDC Europe and the Constituencies of Jomoro, Walewale and Korle-Wogon in the Western, Northern and Greater Accra Region respectively was organized in collaboration with the World Ambassadors Of Hope Foundation (WAOH), a Sweden based Ghanaian humanitarian non-profit making organization. The Project aims to support the implementation of the United Nations Children’s Rights by mainstreaming it in NDC Party Manifestoes and its subsequent implementation at the Constituency Levels. Mrs. Angela Aku Tarras-Wahlberg, President of the ‘World Ambassadors Of Hope Foundation and the NDC Women’s Organizer in Sweden, who chaired the seminar, explained the genesis of the Project amidst the concern in the rise on the abuse of the Rights of children including Sexual exploitation, forced labor and international trafficking and the need for an NDC Party Policy Statement to protect Children Rights.

Dr Kofitsyo Cudjoe, Chairman NDC Norway and Mr. Germaine Garkpah, Chairman of Sweden-Liberian Association respectively in their welcoming speech focused on the need for Partnership and cooperation amongst Africans both home and abroad to tackle common development challenges facing the continent.

Renowned Human Rights and Child activist, Margaret Gärding, a lecturer at the University of Stockholm spoke on Swedish Policy on the Rights of the Child and how it can be adapted to enhance Children Rights in Ghana and other African countries. Jude Moses, a representative of NDC Sweden heartedly touched on the NDC Government Policy on Human & Child Rights under which Institutions such as WAJU (Women and Juvenile Unit) within the Police and Social Service were established.

Millicent Duphey, Women’s Organizer NDC Norway and a student of the Univ of Oslo successfully gave a holistic approach of the UN Millennium Development Goals and the Rights of the Child. She critiqued aspects of European Legislation which may not be wholly suitable for the protection of the Rights of the Child in Africa and called for Policy and Legislation to take into consideration the peculiar socio-culture environment in Africa before its adaptation.

Dr. Olawale Ismail, a Governance and Child Rights Expert gave a general overview regarding child exploitation and how cultural practices with religious beliefs affect different approaches towards Child Protection in Africa and discussed options to enhance Child Rights in Africa.

The Seminar was attended by representatives from the Network of African Unity (NAV) in Sweden with members from Liberia, Gambia, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa and Cameroon. Mr. Sampson Mande, an Uganda national of the Network of African Unity in Sweden congratulated the NDC Party in Europe for initiating such an event which brings not only Ghanaians but Africans as a whole together to discuss issues which affects the continent. He stated that since the days of Kwame Nkrumah Ghanaians has blazed the trail on the continent by setting examples of best practice for other Africans to follow and that the current generation continues to hold the flame of that legacy high.

Ms Anne-Marie Buchu, President of the Cameroonian Association in her closing Speech thanked the NDC Party in Europe for initiating such a Project which not only benefits Ghana but brings together all Africans to discuss challenges affecting the Continent. She especially thanked Mrs. Angela Aku Tarras-Wahlberg, the President of WAOH and NDC Women’s Organizer in Sweden for her tireless efforts to make the event a success and called on other Africans in Europe to emulate the NDC Party and Ghanaians to provide platforms for the discussions of issues which affects Africa. Source: