Parents urged to be responsible

The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua has urged parents to ensure the security and safety of their children by living up to their parental responsibilities.
She asked parents to be extra vigilant in their communities and report people who molest children to the appropriate authorities.
Making the statement in an address read on her behalf at the third national conference of the Fire Officers Wives Association (FOWA) in Accra over the weekend, the minister said advocacy on good parenting should be vigorous, particularly because of recent reports indicating lack of parental supervision and responsibility towards children.
She said parents and guardians must be conscientised to appreciate the fact that good parenting was the foundation for inculcating in children virtues and values that would direct their behaviour and actions in the future.
She also reminded parents of the importance of education, particularly girl child education, adding that education played a crucial role in the empowerment of women, especially if women were to occupy leadership and decision making positions in the future.
She expressed worry about the increasing spate of parental irresponsibility which had paved way for child molesters adding that "we need to go back to the basics of good parenting if we are to prevent some of these problems from arising".
Ms Dansua said women were created with peculiar invaluable assets and characteristics including affection, love, compassion and an inclination to promoting peace and harmony in every situation, including the development of a country.
She said that FOWA as an association, could be effectively utilised to discuss critical matters related to the empowerment of women and children, since most of them engaged in small scale businesses that earned them income to support their families.
She appealed to FOWA to advocate, sensitise, educate and create awareness within their communities on issues of critical national priorities, and mentioned child trafficking and child prostitution as some of the abuses against children, which required attention by all.
The President of FOWA, Mrs Margaret Ferkah said the association was set up to unite all officers wives, foster good relationship,as well as assist members acquire skills for self employment as means of addressing the issue of unemployment faced by some members.
She said one major achievement of the association was to micro-finance a loan of GH¢300 and GH¢500 for 29 of its members to set up small scale businesses.
She said some members had also been trained in the making of beads, slippers, tie and dye and pomade.
Mrs Ferkah said one major concern of the association, was the intention to establish a welfare fund which she hoped would be ready in two years time, to cater for the needs of its members.
She commended President John Evans Atta Mills for appointing more women to serve in his government and assured the government of the association's commitment to collaborate with it in all spheres to increase the participation of more women in the country's democracy.
The President of Breast Cancer International (BCI), Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, advised the women on the need to seek early treatment for breast cancer when detected.
She said early detection by a competent doctor could help save their life.
She said if delayed, the disease could spread to other vital parts of the body such as the heart, kidney and brain, decreasing one's chance to survive.
She advised women affected with the disease to refrain from seeking healing from churches and seek early treatment.

*Pix: Samuel Adjei-Boateng
Deputy Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs Ms Hawawu Boya Gariba (second right, front row) and some members of the Fire Officers Wives Association, inspecting an exhibition of handicraft mounted by members of the association.