2024 Ohum Festival: Okyenhene proposes seizing part of irresponsible parents’ income to cater for their abandoned children

The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has advised government to consider freezing the incomes of irresponsible parents to take care of their children.

He says such directive, as being done in other places, will help reduce streetism and encourage responsible parenting.

The paramount chief of the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area says government alone, as well as other authorities, cannot bear the responsibility of caring for the children on the streets.

He has therefore cautioned, especially men, to desist from priding themselves in giving birth to children without assuming responsibility for their care.

Addressing a durbar at the Ohum Festival at Kyebi Saturday, July 21, 2024, the chief noted that “we can’t leave everything to the government, the teacher or the chief. You should be responsible once you give birth to a child. You can’t thrive on the Akan cliche that you’ve brought forth a child to his/her mother and that’s it. Charity begins at home so you can’t say you have no responsibility towards your children. You have to take care of our families, especially the men”

He continued that “elsewhere you’ll be arrested and your income will be taken to take care of the child but it is not like that here so I’ll call on the government to introduce that here. You can’t give birth at Kyebi and abscond to Takoradi to say you’re no more taking care of the child.”

This year’s Ohum Festival coincides with the chief’s 25th Anniversary celebration on his ascension to the Ofori Panin stool.

Meanwhile, the chief cautioned those sabotaging the government’s free SHS to desist from it.

Source:onuaonline.com