Social Welfare to monitor its institutions

Mr Thomas Achulo, Ashanti Regional Director of the Social Welfare Department, has vowed to closely monitor and supervise all institutions under the department to achieve efficiency. He said they would make sure that orphanages, remand homes, rehabilitation and destitute centres are professionally managed. Institutions that come under the department in Ashanti include the Kumasi Children's Home, Edwinase Rehabilitation Centre, Asawase Remand Home, Mampong Babies Home and Amoaful Destitute Centre. Mr Achulo, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on his vision, urged the Supervisors to organize "Open Days" to let the public know of their activities, programmes and challenges. He said it was through this that they could mobilize resources outside Government's subsidy, to raise the quality of care and performance. Mr Achulo spoke of plans to embark on a massive public education campaign to sensitize people about the dangers of child labour and trafficking, disability issues and the need to take good care of the aged. Additionally, they would help the people to have better understanding of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme and qualification for the intervention. Mr Achulo urged the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to abide by the government's directive to provide two to five per cent of their share of the Common Fund to support people with disability, to initiate programmes and activities to improve their living standards. He said the lack of a means transport and computers were the major constraints they faced and appealed to the Government to help change the situation.