Sunyani, Jan. 05, GNA-Ms Belinda Osei-Mensah, the Sunyani Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare has expressed worry about the rising cases of divorce, thereby contributing to disturbing cases of child custody in the Municipality.
She said the Department recorded 60 cases of child custody in 2021 as compared to 34 cases in the previous year, saying divorce contributed to many of the cases.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Ms Osei-Mensah therefore advised the youth preparing for marriage to take time, check the background and under-study their partners before entering into marriage.
She said deception remained a key contributory factor to the collapse of many marriages among young couples in the municipality.
Ms Osei-Mensah said the Department also recorded 25 cases of child non-maintenance last year, as compared to 90 cases in 2020, saying cases of child welfare also decreased from 12 to five within the same periods.
She explained child non-maintenance remained inimical to the growth and development of children and advised couples to endeavour to provide their children with basic necessities of life to enhance their proper upbringing and development.
GNA