‘Strengthen security at Osu Remand Home’
The management of the Osu Remand Home has called on the government to strengthen the security systems of the institution to help protect children and also ensure that those who are on remand do not abscond from the home.
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The home, which serves as a reform centre for remand children, as well as shelter for abused children, has three units, centre for remand girls, centre for remand boys and the shelter home.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the supervisor for the shelter home, Mrs Beatrice Timbilla, said the supervisors sometimes had to serve as security personnel during daytime.
This, she said, was to ensure that children did not abscond from the shelter, especially in the night when some of the children broke doors and escaped from the shelter.
Mrs Timbilla said most of the children in the shelter department were victims of rape, assault, child trafficking, child labour and defilement hence the need for them to be well protected.
According to her, most of the children who were kept at the department had cases that were being heard in court, therefore it was dangerous for such children to escape from the shelter to unknown places.
Delay in remittance
She also stated that another challenge that was facing the home was the delay in remittance that the government had to provide for the upkeep of the children.
“If the funds are delayed, we have to rely on corporate bodies and individuals who donate to us,” she said, adding that the situation became worse if institutions did not respond to calls for support.
“The situation is not different at the boys’ and the girls’ remand homes,” the supervisor for the Boys Remand Unit, Mr Benjamin Amankwah, confirmed.
According to him, most of the boys at the home had been charged with robbery, aiding and abetting, murder and defilement and it was therefore not safe for them to run away from the home, because some of their cases were pending in court.
He added that although the home was aimed at reforming the inmates, some of them went back to commit worst crimes.
Mr Amankwah, therefore, appealed to the government to consider the request to ensure that there was total security as well as adequate funds to enable the children to have good training and sufficient meals.
Good mentors
For her part, the Housemother for the Girls’ Remand Unit, Ms Agnes Zu-Cudjo, advised parents to have quality time for their children and ensure they have good training.
This, she said, would help reduce social vices and also help to guide the children as they grow up.
