Cause arrest of drivers that use minors as mates - Police

Superintendent of Police Mr Elvis Sadongo has urged the public to cause the arrest of any commercial driver that uses minors as their mates.

The Divisional Commander of the Kaneshie Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service said children of certain age could be exposed to hazardous works, but minors were excluded.

He, therefore, encouraged them to report such drivers for the minors to be rescued during the 2019 Ghana NGOs Forum held in Accra.

"Preventing child neglect: whose responsibility," was the theme.

The forum tackled the roles of the family, law enforcing agencies and the traditional authorities to ensure good enough parenting.

Superintendent Sadongo who was responding to questions asked police officers to handle child offenders with tact and be sensitive to their issues.

He said parents could be held for neglect of their children if the children were rescued and led police to their parents.

Children who were first-time offenders were usually diverted from the traditional way of dealing with adults offenders and given informal warning which would not go on record in order to protect their future.

He said instead of sending them to the correctional centres, symbolic restitution was used to settle cases involving first-time minor offenders.

Superintendent Sadongo advised that those defiled should secure evidence documented by a doctor before even going to the police, stating that they should report any police officer that sold the report form.

Mr Kingsley Obeng-Kyere, spokesperson for the Committee Africa for NGO Summit said the event was to help to bring the responsibilities of duty bearers to book.

He said though Ghana was the first to sign onto the Convention on the Rights of a child in 1990, it had not fully complied.

"Ghana needs to prioritise and substantially increase the budgetary allocations in the social sectors, ensuring implementation of the economic, social and cultural rights of children, particularly for the improvement of healthcare services, education and protection of vulnerable groups of children," he noted.

Participants said institutions handling child matters should be de-polarized and de-monetized.

They called for shelters where victims rescued from abuse or the streets would be kept.
Religious leaders should ensure their members carried out their parental responsibilities.

There was a sketch by the Adjen Kotoku Senior High School for parents to be responsible towards their children devoid maltreatment that would rob the children of their self-worth.

This, the sketch said would push them into becoming social deviants.