Social injustice against marginalised
The San Diego Foundation defines Social Justice to be the enjoyment by all of economic, political and social rights and opportunities.
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In Ghana, social rights are trampled on as disabled and sick children are used to solicit along our roads and streets.
This practice pertains in other parts of the world, not just Ghana.
A recent video on YouTube titled ‘Forced to beg: Tanzania's Trafficked Kids - BBC Africa Eye documentary’ detailed the plight of disabled kids, trafficked from their unsuspecting families and made to beg on the streets for money – by a fellow disabled individual!
This type of street-begging disguised as a charity venture is unregistered, untrustworthy, and there is no way to vet the authenticity of this so-called word-of-mouth ‘GoFundMe’.
More often than not, those doing that are scammers and get lost after their collections.
Since their legitimacy is in question, there must be a conscious effort by the government to stop them.
It is unfortunate that scammers pose as NGOs and resort to unauthorised street soliciting for surgeries for disabled and/or sick children.
Why is society closing an eye to this and allowing unscrupulous individuals to invade our societies for their personal gain?
Regrettably, the Department of Social Welfare and Development seems oblivious of their mission, which is to support policy directives, standards and programmes in partnership with other stakeholders, for the effective and efficient delivery of social development services to the marginalised and disadvantaged.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development must strive to train more qualified personnel and employ cutting-edge technology to tackle this societal menace.
Additionally, the government must be proactive in arresting and prosecuting those in that business.
Health facilities must be resourced better to take care of children in such predicament so they will not be used as pawns for financial gain.
The poor and the vulnerable deserve our attention, if they are not properly taken care of, we are doomed as a society.
Robert Ephraim Yibor,
37 Military Hospital, Accra
E-mail: [email protected]
