The Minister for Gender, Children and Social protection, Otiko Afisah Djaba, has charged parents in the three regions of the north to invest more in the education of their children, in order to bridge the North-South development gap.
She said interventions by successive governments and civil society in the area, could not yield the desired impact because some parents were either unwilling to contribute towards the education of their children or let go of some socio-cultural practices that hinder the proper upbringing of their wards.
Madam Afisah Djaba made the comments when she was addressing queen mothers and leaders of various momen groups in Wa as part of her two-day working visit to the Upper West Region.
“I have worked in over 50 communities in this region, and know what the development needs are. Let us educate our children.We cannot develop without properly educating our children. Lets sacrifice the goats, sheep and even the cattle for the education of our children.”
The Minister bemoaned some negative cultural practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation and abduction, which she said gravelly affects the development of children in northern Ghana.
“Child marriage, abduction and female genital mutilation are still here with us. Unless we nip such practices in the bud, we are not going anywhere as a people.”
She revealed that, her outfit will soon launch a campaign dubbed “he for she” to whip up the interest of men to support the development of women and children.
Madam Otiko, who is on a nationwide monitoring visit, interacted with chiefs and other opinion leaders, civil society organizations, some selected government institutions and the St Joseph’s children’s home at Jirapa.
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By:Mahama Latif/citifmonline.com/Ghana