By Freda Mwini, GNA
Wa, (UW/R), Sept. 07, GNA – Stakeholders in the Upper West Region have called for stronger measures to protect children from abuse and ensure that their voices are heard and their interests protected.
They said children must be given opportunities to participate in decisions on issues affecting their lives and encouraged to speak up whenever they experience abuse, exploitation or other forms of harm.
Mr Gerald Nii Adjei, Acting Upper West Regional Director of the Department for Children, made the call in Wa at a forum to mark the 2026 National Children’s Day organised by the Upper West Regional Department of Children.
The forum, held under the theme: “Amplifying Children’s Voices Against Abuse in Ghana: Promoting Child Protection, Participation and Advocacy,” brought together children and representatives of state institutions.
Mr Adjei urged stakeholders to create safe spaces where children could freely express their concerns and have them addressed.
He said strengthening child participation in decision-making processes is essential to ensuring that children are not only protected from abuse but also empowered to contribute to decisions affecting their welfare and development.
Madam Janet Kpan, Upper West Regional Girls’ Education Officer, urged children and young people to take their education seriously and avoid activities that could jeopardise their future.
She said children need to understand that their actions today can affect their future and caution them against comparing themselves with their peers or letting others deceive them into believing education is not important.
“Education remains one of the surest ways for young people to achieve their dreams, secure careers and become independent in the future”, she said.
Madam Kpan encouraged children to remain in school, concentrate on their studies, and acquire skills that would enable them to become self-reliant.
She also expressed concern about the increasing abuse of drugs, particularly among young people in the region.
Madam Kpan expressed concern about the growing influence of substance abuse among some young people and urged children and the youth to stay away from drugs and focus on their education.
She also appealed to parents and guardians to encourage their children to study, remain in school, and make responsible choices for their future.
Madam Osman Abiba of the Wa Municipal Department of Community Development and Social Welfare identified drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, truancy and illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as some challenges affecting children and young people.
She said some children are abandoning school because they believe illegal mining offers them opportunities to make quick money.
Madam Abiba also attributed some teenage girls’ involvement in relationships with men to economic hardship but said it is inimical to their holistic development.
She also advised children and young people against the pursuit of quick money as that can have serious consequences for their future.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade