The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has stepped up community-level education and engagement as part of efforts to reduce social vices and protect vulnerable groups across the country.

The initiative is aimed at helping residents understand social protection issues, identify and prevent abuse, and report unlawful practices that may have become normalised in some communities.

The latest engagement was held at Tema Newtown, also known as Manhean, bringing together traditional leaders, members of the clergy, schoolchildren, persons with disabilities, government officials and other residents.

A community forum was organised to educate participants on social vices, prevention measures and channels available for reporting abuse and other unlawful activities.

Speaking to the media, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, said the programme was designed to take social protection education directly to communities in a language residents could easily understand.

“We designed this programme to come down to the communities and engage the people in a language that they understand, so that they can appreciate what social protection is all about and know how they can contribute to protecting themselves and others.”

Dr Naa Momo Lartey said the government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, remained committed to reducing vulnerabilities across the country.

“Government, under the leadership of President Mahama, is committed to discharging its mandate and taking the necessary steps to reduce vulnerabilities to the barest minimum.”

She explained that the communities selected for the exercise were identified through data gathered by the Ministry, rather than any attempt to discriminate against particular areas.

“We are not discriminating against any community. We are following the data, and the data tells us that some communities, especially along the coastal areas, are extremely vulnerable and therefore require our attention.”

The Minister said the Ministry had already engaged communities including Ada, Nungua and Buipe, with Tema Newtown becoming the latest beneficiary. She urged parents and other well-meaning Ghanaians to support the campaign by reporting abuse and activities prohibited by law.

“We are appealing to parents and all well-meaning Ghanaians to help us eradicate these social vices. If you see any form of abuse or something that the law considers illegal, please report it to the appropriate authorities.”

Dr Naa Momo Lartey stressed that community members had an important role to play in helping authorities identify and tackle social vices, since government could not monitor every household and community.

“Government cannot see everything that is happening in every home and in every community. But if we educate the people and they understand how the law operates, they can assist the security agencies and the relevant authorities to fight these social vices.”

She added that collective responsibility could help make communities safer. “When we all become each other’s keepers, we will be able to minimize these social vices and create safer communities for everyone.”

Also present was the Mayor of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Ebi Bright, who welcomed the initiative and commended the Minister for taking social protection education directly to residents.

“We are very excited about this initiative because the Minister has taken the bold step to come down to the community and educate our people directly on issues of social protection and how we can reduce social vices.”

She also urged young people to take advantage of the education and avoid activities that could jeopardise their future.

“I want to encourage the youth to embrace this education, stay away from drug abuse and other social vices, and focus on their future because they are the people who will eventually take up the mantle when we are no longer here.”

The Ministry said similar community engagements would continue in other vulnerable communities as part of broader efforts to strengthen social protection, prevent abuse and create safer communities.