The Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare has begun profiling of children picked up at the Bawjiase orphanage to re-integrate them with their families of give them up for adoption.

This is to ensure the children are better catered for.

Deputy Gender Minister, Alex Ackon said this when he revealed details of Anas Aremeyaw’s exposé at the orphanage at a media briefing.

Joy News’ Hannah Odame who was at the press briefing reports that the ministry intends to monitor the registration of new orphanages.

This is to ensure that operators of the orphanages meet the required standards before they are licensed.

Mr Akon said Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who operate as orphanages will be stopped and issued adequate accreditation before they are allowed to continue operating.

He tasked the Department of Social Welfare to increase its monitoring of the orphanages from once every quarter to once a month.

However Assisting Director of Social Welfare, Alois Mohl said the department does not have the human resource to increase the visits.

He said each district has only one officer and with that number, the visits cannot be increased. Each district according to him will need at least four officers for their monitoring to be effective.

But the Gender Ministry said the increase in numbers was not necessary and that the social welfare should rather work on increasing the number of visits.

The Ministry’s action comes in the wake of an undercover investigation at the Bawjiase orphanage by ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his team.

After living in the home for six months, the team uncovered that the home had been turned into a business venture by its Founder, Mrs Emma Boafo Yeboah, affectionately referred to as Auntie Emma or Mummy in the home.

At the home, the children are made to pose for photo opportunities to receive items from donors, only to be starved behind the walls of the orphanage.

After donated items are sold to the public, the children are made to live on a cup of gari, which is poured into their shirts, and uncooked noodles. Other times they are forced to fast for several weeks.

The investigations were carried out in collaboration with the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and titled: “‘Care’ less: the devil and the orphanage”.

It brings back to mind a similar expose at the Osu Children’s Home where abuse and neglect of the children and the looting of donated items were the order of the day.

In a related development, five persons, including the founder of the orphanage, have been arrested on the order of the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan.

Those arrested include Mrs Emma Boafo Yeboah, and a Senior High School graduate Isaac Nsiebi who serves as a medical doctor at the home.

The others are a young woman who serves as a nurse at the school clinic (name not readily available), the administrator of the school, identified only as Osei and the accountant, also identified only as Justice.