Group picture with Plan International Ghana officials, school children

and staff of Jasikan Municipal Assembly after the forum

Plan International Ghana has called on Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) to take child protection issues seriously and include them in their annual budgets to enable them to deal effectively with them.

The Southern Programme Influence and Impact Area (IIA) Manager of the organisation, Mr Gamgama Mathias Mantia, made the call at a stakeholder’s forum with the Social Services Department of the Jasikan Municipal Assembly at Jasikan in the Oti Region.

Mr Mantia explained that Plan International Ghana through its child protection programme dubbed “Be Smart, Learn and Stay Protected”, had created awareness in the Jasikan Municipality over the years, therefore the need for the Assembly to budget for child protection.

According to him, protection of children would ensure their security and enable them to learn to become responsible adults in future.

Mr Mantia said his organisation had done a lot over the years, hence it was important for the assembly to protect the gains made.

The Programme Manager of “Be Smart, Learn and Stay Protected’ Mr Kofi Vieku said his outfit was satisfied with the interest shown by the Jasikan Municipal Assembly to incorporate the programme in its activities.

Mr Vieku said the organisation had established a strong foundation through its educational activities over the years, which had made stakeholders including parents understand the need to protect their children against all forms of abuses.

The Jasikan Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD), Mr James Awapoayi, said the Assembly was privileged to partner Plan International Ghana to protect children in the municipality.

He said the stakeholders’ engagement with Plan International would enable the Assembly to sustain the programme when they leave the area.

Mr Awapoayi assured that the Assembly would provide an annual budget including child protection to ensure that the impact made over the years would be sustained and also extended to other communities where the programme did not cover to enhance protection and welfare of children to develop their potentials.

A pupil of New Ayoma Primary School, Sophia Kamasah, appealed to the Assembly to allow children to participate in Assembly meetings to enable them to contribute to discussions to enable the Assembly to appreciate their concerns.

From Samuel Agbewode, Jasikan