Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin is advocating for a law that will freeze the salaries of parents who have deserted their wards and shirked their parenting responsibilities. He suggests that the frozen salaries should be used by the state to fund their wards’ education and upkeep.
Statistics from the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) reveal that 1,215,546 children of school-going age (4 to 17 years) in Ghana are not attending school. Out of that number, almost one million (942,427) children have never attended school.
Additionally, the report indicates that one-third of the household population under 18 years, representing 3,862,259 children, are multidimensionally poor.
According to Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, implementing such a measure would awaken the spirit of responsible parenting and reduce the menace of streetism and growing vagrancy, ensuring the safety of these innocent children.
Speaking at the 2024 Ohum Kan Festival durbar in Kyebi, Okyenhene expressed concerns about parents who neglect their children after birth.
Touching on the need for patriotism and responsibility, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin highlighted reports of some teaching and non-teaching staff at various senior high schools deliberately sabotaging the Free SHS policy. He mentioned that some staff members have developed a habit of stealing food items meant for the school children, citing an incident in Kyebi where a staff member stole food items intended for the students. He emphasized that such individuals should be named and shamed.
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin also admonished the youth to desist from drug abuse in any form and to live a respectable lifestyle.
This year’s Ohum festival coincides with Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin’s 25th anniversary celebration of his accession to the Ofori Panin Stool.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
