Kidnapping: Children are not safe in Ghana – Child Rights International

General News on Friday, June 14, 2019

Source: X Y Z

2019-06-14

Child Rights International (CRI) said the wave of kidnappings in the country had made Ghanaian children dangerous.

IRC Executive Director Bright Appiah told Power 97 FM's Dwaboase Thursday morning that children's rights to freedom of movement are being stifled as a result of kidnappings in some parts of the country.

"The children are not safe in the country because of these kidnapping cases," Appiah told Kwame Minkah. He explained that students who took the Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE) were likely to be removed.

Context

Mr. Appiah's comment comes after the rescue of two Canadian nationals kidnapped in Kumasi last week. Lauren Tilley, 19, and Bailey Chitty, 20, were rescued on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at dawn in Kenyasi, a suburb of Kumasi, by a team composed of members of the SWAT police and national security.

Eight people were arrested in direct connection with the incident, while many others were arrested because they came into contact with suspected kidnappers.

The suspects include five Ghanaians and three Nigerians, according to Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

Despite the rescue of Canadians, Ghanaians have not yet understood why security agencies in the country have failed to locate three Ghanaian women who were also abducted in Takoradi last year.

Ruth Quayson disappeared six months ago, while Priscilla Mantsebea Koranchie and Priscilla Blessing Bentum were also abducted five months and one year ago respectively.

During the period when the three girls were absent from their families, the Ghana Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) continues to give hope to Ghanaians and families of the missing trio.

A series of protests took place in the capital of the western region, Takoradi, to put pressure on the authorities to help the girls. Last Saturday, a group known as Western Youth for Justice was demonstrating in the capital following this incident.

Protesters demanded that the CID leader be fired no later than 21 days after Saturday's protest for failing to rescue abducted women.