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President asks for public support to enhance national development
policies
Dunkwa-On-Offin (C/R), Dec. 19, Ghanadot/GNA - President John Agyekum
Kufuor has said there was hope for Ghanaian children if only
everybody would continue to support the government in the
implementation of policies currently put in place for the
nation's development.
He said, "With a politically stable atmosphere in the
country, let us remember that the progress of every nation
is its human resource and children are its vibrant source
and society owes its children the responsibility of
protection and development."
President Kufuor, who stated this in a speech read for him
at the national children's Christmas party at
Dunkwa-On-Offin on Tuesday, stressed the need to put
children first in the decision making process by giving them
assistance and support.
The party was attended by more than 1,000 pupils from
selected schools in the Upper Denkyira and Lower Denkyira
districts and each child was given a Ghana @ 50 T'shirt, a
cap and treated to music, cultural performances and also
presented with packed lunch and soft drinks.
He said the government's commitment in human and financial
resources to promote the growth and development of its young
ones had been prominent and that it had set the pace for
other stakeholders to complement government's efforts for
the best interest of children.
"The relatively stable political atmosphere has enhanced a
sustainable child development process. It is observed that
during politically volatile situation, children and women
bear the brunt of atrocities associated with such
situations. We praise the Almighty God for the peace and
tranquillity He has granted this country so far to make it
an oasis of peace in the sub-region," he said.
The President said apart from being the first country to
ratify the U.N. Convention on the rights of the child, the
government had created a ministry to improve the lot of
women and the development of children.
President Kufuor said the various aspects of the educational
reform programme, the capitation grant, school feeding
programme and free city transportation for school children
were all geared towards providing the needed environment for
education and training of children.
He said in recognition of the importance of the holistic
growth, protection and development of children, the Early
Childhood Care and Development Policy (ECCD) was being
implemented under the supervision of a national secretariat
and stressed that it was anticipated that more
collaborations would be galvanized to effectively implement
Ghana's ECCD policy for the welfare of its young ones.
The President told the children that HIV/AIDS still posed a
serious health and development problem and urged parents and
guardians to intensify their efforts in the child upbringing
process and also ensure that their children avoided risky
behaviour.
The Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, in a speech
read for him underscored the importance of education and
appealed to parents to take advantage of the numerous
government interventions in the education sector to send
their children to school.
Ms Rosemond Blay, the Regional Director of Education, said
the government recognized the importance of education and
had put in place measures to promote education.
She commended the district for becoming first in the last
BECE examination and urged them to not be complacent but to
work harder.
The District Chief Executive of Upper Denkyira, Mr Richard
Anane Adabor, commended the Ministry of Women and Children's
Affairs for selecting the district for the party and asked
the children to reciprocate the gesture by taking their
studies seriously.
H also called for unity, peace and tranquillity in the
district to enhance the development of the area and advised
the people in the district to desist from the writing
anonymous letters about others.
GNA
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