COVID-19: Increasing numbers of Child abuse cases in Ghana alarming – NGO 

A child’s rights group is claiming that there is an upsurge in child abuse cases in Ghana in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spread.

A release by the Ghana NGO Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC) signed by Barima Akwasi Amankwaah, National Coordinator says the rise in abusive and violent behavior against children as reported in the media in recent times requires immediate attention.

According to Barima Amankwaah, there are a number of cases involving child rights abuse in the country citing some of them as including a case involving a fifteen year-old girl who was recently defiled and had her clitoris bitten by the perpetrator in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. The suspect, who was found guilty by the court has since been incarcerated for seven (7) years.

There is a case of a 26-year old father beating his 8-year old son severally causing severe body scares to the boy at Thantei Community located in the Krachie West District of the Oti Region.

Also at Kumasi Buokrom Estate, a 26-year old father severally beat his 3 year-old son for bed-wetting with the child being admitted at the Manhyia Hospital. The father is currently on bail waiting for the next court hearing.

Moreover, a father at Obom in the Central Region cut the fingers and ears of his 10 year-old son with the perpetrator currently in police cell waiting for hearing.

He also disclosed of a video in circulation showing four (4) girls who are allegedly broke into someone’s house and picked some items to be sold to the public.

The GNCRC National Coordinator expressed his disgust at the filming of the young girls which according to him constitute an abuse on the rights of those girls.

Barima Amankwaah said, “The most worrying aspect is the police officers, who are expected to know better, allowed the filming of these girls exposing them to harm and danger as this is against the optional protocols to communication which Ghana is party to it alongside the Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC) and the Africa Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children.

This is not to condone the action of the girls but rather handling the case in a manner that will not expose the girls to further harm since they are juveniles and there are protocols for handling such cases involving children and should be handled as such in the best interest of the children involved.”

He asked the Interior Ministry and the Ghana Police Service to punish those police officers who permitted or took the video for circulation exposing the children to danger and harm.

The GNCRC called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) through the Domestic Violence Secretariat to begin to conduct regional, district and community education on domestic violence including child rights, abuse and exploitation of children and improve avenue for reporting of child protection issues.

Attached below is the press release by the Ghana NGO Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC):

By Francis Kobena Tandoh || ghananewsonline.com.gh