Most Rev John Baptist Attakruh has urged members of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocesan Child Protection Committee to extend their activities to every segment of the Diocese.

The prelate also charged them to ensure that they safeguard and protect children, who are God's gifts to the human race and the church.

This was contained in an address delivered on behalf of the Bishop by Rev. Fr. Vincent Dan Teiko, Child Protection Officer of the Diocese during a two-day workshop organised for members of the Diocesan Child Protection Committee at the Star of the Sea Cathedral in Takoradi.

Bishop Attakruh reiterated the concern of the Holy Father, Pope Francis to protect children against abuse in the church.

He thanked the members of the Diocesan Child Protection Committee for taking up the challenge to bring to fruition the concept of child protection in the church.

The child protection concept in the Ghanaian Church is a policy framework drawn by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference to obligate every church personnel- priests, religious and lay- in ministering to children and the vulnerable.

It safeguards and protects children against any form of abuse- sexual, emotional, physical, or neglect, - by everyone who looks after them.

The policy further delineates to everyone who handles children in our churches, mission houses, schools, and hospitals, the most appropriate ways of dealing with children.

In addition, the concept draws the most acceptable steps to take when there are cases of abuse of children and the vulnerable.

Rev. Sr. Benedicta Boakye-Yiadom of Sisters of St. Louis was the facilitator of the ongoing formation programme.

She took the participants through the contours of child protection in the church including, types of abuse, detecting perpetrators and victims of abuse, safeguarding children’s safety and ecclesiological and civil policies on child abuse.

Others are pastoral care and concern for the abused and perpetrators, the ways of recognizing, responding and reporting abused cases.

A member of the diocesan CPC, Hon. Lawyer Kwasi Nkrumah pledged on behalf of the members to support the Bishop’s grave concern for children’s safety in the diocese. 

The Sekondi-Takoradi Diocesan Child Protection Committee is made up of the following members:

• Rev. Fr. Vincent Dan Teiko
• Rev.Bro. Paul Bukari
• Lawyer Philip K. Nkrumah
• Rev. Sr. Christina Aidoo
• Mrs Margaret O. Amoah
• Mrs Gloria Blay
• Mrs Marian Adibi