Ghana government asked to involve CSOs in LEAP’s implementation

The Minister interacting with beneficiaries.
The Minister interacting with beneficiaries.

Mrs Gifty Akosua Baka, Country Director of the Christian Children Fund of Canada (CCFC),  has urged government to  involve CSOs in the implementation of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) initiative.

She said this would enhance collaboration to ensure that the support reached the poorest families in the country.

Mrs Baka said this at a ceremony to commemorate the African Union (AU) Day of the African Child in Tamale on Tuesday.

It was organized by CCFC in partnership with World Vision, ActionAid Ghana, United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Right to Play, Campaign for Female Education, amongst other non-governmental organizations.

The A.U Day of the African Child is celebrated on June 16 every year by the A.U, in line with resolution CM/Res. 1290 (XL), to commemorate the 1976 massacre of Soweto children, who merely took to the streets to demand their right to racism-free education, in the then Apartheid South Africa.

This year’s commemoration was on the theme: “Ending Child Marriage in Ghana through Strengthening Family and Community Structures.”

Mrs Baka said government’s collaboration with CSOs would also facilitate adequate monitoring of LEAP beneficiaries, and ensure that the money was spent on children’s upkeep and education.

She said it was the hope of CCFC and partners that when the LEAP project was effectively and efficiently implemented, household poverty would reduce.

She said this would also ensure that girls’ education would receive equal attention, with the drastic reduction in early forced child marriages within the shortest possible time, or totally eliminated from the country.

Mrs Baka also spoke about the country’s laws and protocols that proscribe child marriages and questioned why such laws and protocols were not being enforced, even though child marriage was widespread in the country.

Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, called for responsible parenting to ensure proper moulding of children.

Alhaji Fuseini also challenged parents to ensure that their daughters attained the highest level of education to guarantee them better future.

Alhaji Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, underscored the importance of education in the lives of individuals and the country as a whole, and suggested that people considering to get married should have university degree.

He said this would encourage them to send their children, especially the girl-child, to school and not marry her off to some elderly man even when she was a child.

Source: GNA

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