The Child Right international (CRI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has condemned the police for its failure to protect school children during Tuesday�s disturbances at Madina Zongo Junction in Accra.
The CRI said the inability of the police to protect the children tantamounted to gross violation of their fundamental human rights.
Mr. Bright Appiah, the chief executive officer of the CRI, stated this at a news conference in Accra. He said the police�s failure to protect the welfare and interest of the children is a matter of concern and a clear demonstration of neglect of duty.
He described as an eye-sore the scene where the children were running for their lives, adding that the continuous disrespect of children�s rights tarnished the human rights records of Ghana as the first country to ratify the convention on the rights of the child.
�There have been many instances where the rights of children are abused and government talk little and leave it to rest,� he lamented.
Mr. Appiah called on the government to strengthen on the enforcement of the rights of children to protect them from being violated.
The news conference followed Tuesday�s demonstration organised by the Coalition of Madina East and West Youth over ownership of a plot of land which turned violent between the police and the youth at the Madina Zongo Junction.
An Accra Circuit Court has rule in favour of the proprietors of the Faith Community Baptist School. It is recalled that a demonstration by the Madina youth led to confrontation between the police and the demonstrators leading to the destruction of property.
Twenty people have been arrested and have appeared before court and remanded in custody. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful assembly, rioting with weapons, causing unlawful damage and assaulting public officers.
<<Print>>