Department of Social Welfare directed to close down illegal orphan homes in Ashanti

The Ashanti Regional Committee for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, has called for the close down of all unauthorized orphanages.

It asked the Department of Social Welfare to act decisively to restore some level of sanity to improve the quality of care for the socially disadvantaged and vulnerable kids.

This followed its meeting held in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The Committee was set up early this year by the Department to assist in the implementation of the National Action Plan for the vulnerable and orphans.

Its members were drawn from the Department of Children, the media, Regional Health Directorate, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Department of Social Welfare and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Police Service.

The Committee expressed concern about the lack of logistics and inadequate resources that were affecting the performance of the Social Welfare department and said these needed to be addressed.

Mr Fred Sakyi Boafo, National Coordinator for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, spoke of plans by the Department to train more foster parents, who would provide better care for orphans.

Mr Jacob Achulo, the Regional Director of Social Welfare, vowed to shutdown orphanages that did not meet the required standards.

He promised that the Department would liaise with the appropriate institutions to promote the welfare of children.

Source: GNA