The Queen Mother of Agave Traditional Area, Mamaga Nyagadze III, has appealed to the government to review the Children's Act (560) of 1998 to offer severe punishment to perpetrators of child abuse.Mamaga Nyagadze said it was becoming clear that the rights of children and protection issues were violated by people who trade in such abuse-related cases, including child trafficking and child labour for their selfish interests.Speaking to The Ghanaian Times at Dabala in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region on Monday, the Queen Mother lamented over child trafficking from the Southern part of the country, including the Tongu area to Yeji, Kete-Krachi in the Krachi West Municipality of the Oti Region, among others.According to her, the perpe­trators of crime against children were most of the time relatives, who normally gave assurances of ensuring the safety and welfare of the children, including education and medical care.Mamaga Nyagadze, however, stated that upon reaching their destinations, the children were only engaged in fishing, fish processing, and farming, among others, to the detriment of their education, health and their future.She, therefore, stressed the need for the review of the Child Protec­tion Act to ensure that offenders would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.She continued that education was key to the future leaders of the country, and it was important for parents to invest in the education of their wards in order to ensure a brighter future for them.Contributing, the Volta Regional Director, Department of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Rev.

Israel Akrobortu, noted that child protection issues should be seen as a collective responsibility, and said it was important for stakehold­ers to be vigilant and report child abuse cases to the law enforcement agencies.He explained that for the Act to be effective, there was Legislative Instrument (LI) 2219, and those who contravene it would be liable to conviction not less than five years, and also not more than 25 years. FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, DABALA