The Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah has raised some concerns about the methods used by the International Justice Mission - Ghana (IJM) to rescue children from abuse.

This follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation which alleged that the IJM in its rescue missions, wrongfully remove children from their homes.

According to Mr Appiah, the documentary leaves more questions than answers on whether the IJM acted with the utmost professionalism in their rescue mission.

“When I was watching the documentary, there are three things that came to mind; whether or not they followed the due process in the work that they did. Secondly, whether they observed professional standards because once you are registered in that sector, then it’s expected that your conduct will also be in such a way that will protect the rights of children and even adults and also whether the best interest of the child was observed in the process,” he said.

Speaking on Newsfile, he explained that, until answers to these questions are provided it would be difficult to prove that IJM was professional in its conduct.

https://youtu.be/Lj24Dv3cUR0

Mr Appiah stressed that matters involving children always require that the interest of the child is held in high esteem.

“We must always at all material times, observe the best interest of children in matters of this nature to see whether where the child will be will better serve the child rather than where we keep them,” he added.

On the same show, the Country Director of IJM, Anita Budu had earlier commented on their activities, adding that the documentary had some factual inaccuracies.

However, when host Samson Lardy Anyenini questioned her on whether the report by the social welfare inquiry was followed, she was not emphatic in her response.

Commenting on this, Mr Appiah said it was unclear if the organisation followed the recommendations made because Madam Budu was not convincing in her response.

On the back of this, he advised that the oragnisation follows the laid down process to achieve its goal on reducing child abuse.

IJM Ghana responds to BBC Africa Eye documentary

On Monday the BBC published a documentary alleging that International Justice Mission- (IJM-Ghana) wrongfully removed children from their families.

But IJM has described allegations against aspects of its operations in Ghana contained in the recent BBC documentary as “incredibly concerning” and of “material inaccuracies.”