Child Rights international, in the first of its monthly child streetism observation report, noted that 2 to 7 children are found on the streets of Accra daily, begging for alms within school instructional hours.

[contextly_sidebar id=”lGGBrNXneRdx8ENASLupA0ZnQQ1aL2QW”]The report also noted that the numbers of child destitute on the street showed the broken state of Ghana’s child protection safety net.

Delivering the report, Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah, said the state must collaborate with the various foreign missions in Ghana to repatriate foreign children to their home countries.

Mr. Appiah explained that the various sector ministries “must put their heads together to deal with this issue especially where it has to do with the foreigners.”

“It’s either they let them go back to their various countries where they come from by engaging with their embassies and their commissions in this country so that they allow them to go to their respectively countries to enjoy their freedom and the right that is enshrined.”

He also noted that because Ghana is enjoined to the UN convention on the right of children, which describes a child as a universal citizen, “if the state is not ready to let these children go back to their various countries, then we should start integration process where we would make those children beneficiaries of our social protection system.”

“So that any services that this available for any child, be it Ghanaian, or non-Ghanaian, we would also provide such services for them because the street is not where they belong. So if we cannot do that the alternative solution that we are giving to it is that ones we have rectified the UN convention of the right of the child, that universality that we’ve given to who a child is must also apply in this context so that at least we see how best we can also provide services for them. And the rate at which they give birth must be something that the state must be interested in,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post NGO wants migrant child beggars repatriated or integrated appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They complain that they often lose out on these contracts, especially to Chinese firms.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xDheanp3pQerMNvVmA2MckzpeVmHiGlg”]According to the Association’s first Vice President, Hammond Larbie, this practice is pushing them out of business.

Mr. Larbie holds the view that the situation is stifling the capacities of local contractors from flourishing.

“The local contractor makes his money here and spends his money here. The foreigner comes and takes his money, changes it and sends it back to his country and it affects our economy. Our local contractors are not able to build their capacities because they work and for over a year or two years they are not paid. When those foreigners work they are able to get their money early, but you the local man, you will not get your money.

He said local contractors would have had a better advantage on the local market if the previous government had listened to their concerns.

“We have our local people, Ghanaians. If the previous government had listened to us, there would have been money in the system because our contractors work and within three months they are paid, once they are paid, money comes into the system. We had GHc 1.2 billion that should have gone into the system.”

Calls for consideration of local contractors has been ongoing for sometime now.

The Member of Parliament for Effutu constituency, Alex Afenyo Markin, a few weeks ago called on the University of Education Winneba, (UEW), to as part of its corporate social responsibility undertake projects that will improve the relationship with the community.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Stop awarding contracts to foreigners – Local contractors appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.