Ensuro Moa Kuo Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) committed to the welfare of orphans and vulnerable children, has organised a get-together at Oda Nkwanta in the Birim Central Municipality for 70 orphans drawn from Oda Nkwanta and Akyem Gyadam.
Apart from feting the orphans with Jollof rice, chicken and soft drinks, the foundation also presented them with dresses, shoes, school bags, exercise books and Milo.
The National Hope Foundation, an Accra-based NGO, offered financial support to the foundation to organise the party at a total cost of GHc30, 000.
Speaking at the ceremony as the chairman for the function, Obrempong Dr Kwasi Sasu, the Awosohene of Akyem Kotoku State, advised the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development to intensify its education on the negative effects of child labour on the nation.
Child labour
He urged the department to take drastic action against parents who engaged their children of school age in child labour at the expense of their education, to serve as a deterrent to other bad nuts in society.
Obrempong Sasu urged the foundation to establish an orphanage in the area and assured the NGO of financial support.
He promised to donate two uniforms, dresses and pairs of shoes for each of the 70 orphans being feted at the ceremony.
The Founder of the Ensuro Moa Kuo Foundation, Salomey Anarfi, said that since its establishment over 20 years ago, the NGO has helped many orphans and vulnerable children in the Eastern Region.
The President of the foundation, Ing. Maxwell Essel, noted with concern that many orphans in the country had potential that should be helped to develop so they could contribute meaningfully to the national reconstruction programme.
He called on the government to provide the necessary resources for the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development to cater for orphans in the country adequately.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South Birim Community Bank, Gladys Okyere, enjoined parents to cultivate the habit of saving to enable them to expand their businesses and secure the resources needed to cater for their childrern education.
She emphasised the need for the affluent in society to offer financial assistance for orphans and vulnerable children in the country.
The Birim Central Municipal Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Clementia Glover, said her outfit had taken realistic measures to eradicate child labour in the area and urged parents to play their parts to achieve the objective.
She admonished parents to encourage their children not only to attend school but also to study hard to become useful future leaders in the country.
In response to the request made by the Awosohene, the Oda Nkwantahene, Osabarima Wiafe Akenten, promised to release a large tract of land for the setting up of the orphanage at Oda Nkwanta.
Other speakers at the ceremony included the Queenmother of Kwasi Armah, Nana Yaa Akoto Pokua and Apostle Frank Kwasi Nkansah, the founder and leader of the King of Grace Chapel in Ghana.
