…Do Not Sweep Under Carpet Says Bright Appiah
Child Rights International (CRI), a child-centered organisation, has called for an immediate arrest of staff and management of Echoing Hills Village, a non-governmental organisation at Madina, who were captured in a video subjecting inmate to inhuman condition.
Additionally, the institution called on the state to step in and appoint new management to take over the daily activities at the orphanage to protect the children.
In a statement issued and signed by its Executive Director, Mr Bright Appiah, CRI said it was becoming a growing trend where organisations and institutions meant to give a safety net for children tend to rather subject them to inhuman treatment and abuses.
“This new expose from Anas Aremayaw Anas on the plight of the children at Echoing Hills Village must not be swept under the carpet. The statement must rise up and deal with the issue drastically,” the statement said.
Background
On June 28, this year, Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas released a portion of his yet to release new documentary which captures a man of God who runs an orphanage, torture and threaten the life of the orphans under his care in a children’s home.
In the documentary, Anas reveals how inmates of a non-governmental organisation, Echo Hills Village, at Madina live under inhumane conditions, with caretakers physically abusing some of the orphans.
Dubbed “Torture Home…When a man of God abuses children”, excerpts of the yet to be released documentary shows manager of the home, Rev Lawrence Lamina verbally and physically abusing some children.
The documentary also reveals how Rev Lawrence Lamina, sells donations meant for the upkeep of the home.
Childrens right
The statement explained that it was paramount for the state to put in place measures to protect children from the actions of evil people, indicating that “it formed part of the children’s right”.
CRI said the organisation was shocked when it saw portions of the video and could not understand why any human would subject children to “an inhuman condition”.
“Failure on the part of the state to respond quickly to the needs of these children is a denial of their fundamental human rights,” it said.
On the video, CRI said there was the need for the state to bring the perpetrators to book, adding that anyone found violating the rights of children must be brought to book immediately.
“The core of our social protection system is to defend the vulnerable and protect their integrity against any other interest. This has to be on the top priority of the state,” the statement said.
Wake-up call
Per the statement of CRI, the video from Echoing orphanage should sound the wake-up call for the state institution responsible for the safety of children to embark on a tour in orphanage homes.
It said the nation must not wait for another video to be aired since there could be more children being ill-treated in various places in the country.
Pull quote
“Failure on the part of the state to respond quickly to the needs of these children is a denial of their fundamental human rights”.
Picture
Mr Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child Rights Internat
