Other thoughts

I was late going home last Friday and got to Kasoa at 10.00 pm, At the overpass, I saw this woman sitting with a child on her laps and another child sitting by her. I guess the children were twins as they looked about the same age. The children and their mother were all sleeping. I felt sad that they had no place to lay their heads with mosquitoes feasting on them in the cold weather. I asked myself a number of questions:

1. What is the cause of this situation - irresponsible husbands?
2. Adherence to traditional, cultural and religious beliefs and practices?
3. Can't the appropriate authorities identify the people behind this and hold them to account? 
4. As a country, can't we provide a shelter in each of the big cities to accommodate mothers and their children who have no place to lay their heads just over night?
5. Are these women not entitled to the LEAP support when people living in the comfort of their homes get the support?

There could be more questions but whatever the cause, something must be done for these innocent children. Otherwise, why do we have a Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection?

If it is as a result of cultural or religious beliefs and practices that a woman who gives birth to twins must go into the streets and beg to take care of the children, it is an obsolete practice and must be curbed immediately. Their husbands remain in the comfort of their homes and warm beds, probably with other women. SAD in the 21st century!

Our traditional and religious leaders must be bold and stop that practice. The Ministry (MGCSP) must comb the country and identify such women and insist that their husbands take them back into their homes.

By Vitus Azeem