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HRRG Empowers New Hope of Glory Academy with kidnapping sensitization session

Over 150 pupils of New Hope of Glory Academy at Anyaa, Palas Town have been sensitized on kidnapping and its related issues to guide them in taking precautions to avoid falling victims.

Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the Executive Director of the Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG), a non-governmental organization which conducted the sensitization said it has become necessary to educate the public especially school children due to the activities of kidnappers in the country which has become a cause of worry in recent times.

“Ghana has become a scary place to live in since the disappearance of the three Taadi girls last year without trace coupled with the recent cases and attacks on foreign nationals the country has recorded recently and as a human rights organization that prides itself with ensuring the safety of everyone, we cannot fold our arms and watch than take action to remedy the situation”.

“We believe creating the needed awareness through education, we can achieve the result by helping people take precautions to avoid being victims”.

The HRRG boss cautioned the students against ‘stranger danger’; entertaining strangers on their way to, from school or anywhere they happened to meet them.

“You must desist from accepting gift(s) from strangers and always remember to shout for help or run away as fast as you can at least confrontation from any of such people on your way to stay safe always”.

On her part, Madam Charity Be-uu, a teacher remarked that the kidnapping saga is a worrying trend which everyone is concerned about particularly children who are finding it difficult to cope up with life due to fear since the 3 Takoradi girls went missing.

While congratulating HRRG for taking up the initiative to conduct a nationwide sensitization campaign in schools to get children educated, she disclosed all efforts must be made to stomp the canker to let peace prevail in the country.

The headmaster of the school, Mr. Kwame James Bonney in an interview averred that sensitization is our only weapon as a country to avert kidnapping and therefore called on all and sundry to join the crusade and ensure that both children and adults are well educated on the ‘stranger danger’ to secure their lives.

Source: Newsghana.com

HRRG takes sensitization on kidnapping to Volta Region; schooled over 800 students

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG), a non-governmental organization(NGO) committed to ensuring a society a for all without discrimination has organized a sensitization programme on kidnapping for close to nine hundred (900) students of Anlo-Afiadenyigba Junior High School students in the Volta Region on Friday May 31, 2019.

The exercise was aimed at exposing the pranks of kidnappers to the students thereby safeguarding them from falling victims.

The sensitization exercise which form part of an ongoing nationwide campaign by HRRG to impart knowledge and create awareness on preventive measures against Kidnapping, Teenage pregnancy and Tramadol Abuse in schools has so far benefited about 15 schools across the country.

The Executive Director of HRRG, Joseph Kobla Wemakor, said the organization had so far educated over 5,000 students in some parts of the Greater Accra Region and aims to reach out massively to parents, guardians and the entire public across all the regions of the Ghana which Volta Region is part.

He maintained that the organization’s objective is to serve as an advocacy institution, and a critical voice to fight for the rights of all manner of people particularly women, girls and children to ensure that those abuse get help and justice while educating the vulnerable in the society on human rights and other pertinent issues and challenges that confront them in order to empower them.

“We aim at creating a society for all without discrimination hence the need to embark on a nationwide sensitization campaign which covers the three (3) critical human rights and social issues; Kidnapping, Teenage pregnancy and Tramadol Abuse (KTT Project).”

“It is our hope that by the end of the project, students will be well informed and provided with useful tips on how to evade kidnapping, educate them on teenage pregnancy, its associated challenges and how to avoid it as well get them sensitized on tramadol abuse and its dangers to health and academic work”. “By this, we can be assured of creating a culture of human rights consciousness, by imparting knowledge and skills which will help in molding good attitude among children to guarantee that society for all”, Mr. Wemakor explained.

The HRRG Executive Director who conducted the sensitization exercise advised the students against entertaining strangers on their way to, from school or anywhere they happened to meet them. He appealed to them to study hard and eschew from social vices such as pre-marital sex and consumption of alcohol, tramadol or any form of drug abuse so they can come out of school and be useful to the society.

On his part, Headmaster of the Anlo Afiadenyigba R.C. JHS, Mr. Topha-Mills Moses lauded the efforts of HRRG for extending the sensitization exercise on kidnapping to the school which he believes has benefited the students immensely. He called on the Human Rights Group to ensure its project covers all the schools across the country to rid of the canker of kidnapping, teenage pregnancy and tramadol abuse which has gained notoriety among the youth in recent times.

Recently, kidnapping and attacks on Ghanaians and foreign nationals in the country have smacks of a cause for alarm which the Ghana Police Service has described as ‘worrying’.

The fate of the three families in the Western Region continues to hang in the balance after their relatives went missing last year.

The thorny issue has compelled President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to break his silence on the matter with a promise to deal with the canker.

The Police are yet to find the missing girls and hunt for the perpetrators, as a result has come under barrage of criticism from the public.

Ghana must step up fight, hunt for kidnappers till we win – Human Rights Reporters boss

**Human Rights Reporters Ghana boss, Joseph Kobla Wemakor**

“Ghana needs to step up the crusade and hunt for kidnappers until we win the fight”, the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, Joseph Kobla Wemakor has said.

According to him, sensitization plays a key role in solving critical problems and has proven to be the panacea in helping demystify a phenomenon.

“We know that when people are well informed about a particular challenge, they are bound to take precaution to avert it. Therefore the need to up the game on sensitization is key to winning the fight against kidnapping”.

Mr Wemakor made this important observation while interacting with the pupils of Mempeasem Evangelical Presbyterian School on the issue of kidnapping during his visit to the school on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at East Legon in Accra.

Kidnapping which is the act of seizing or capturing someone and holding another person captive against the law and the will of the person was demystified through an interactive session with the pupils.

Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor informed the teachers and pupils that it is a CRIME to be kidnapped by anyone for any reason.

The entire student’s body including teachers who took part in sensitization exercise was excited about the presence of the team of volunteers from the Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG) in the school and the level of information impacted to aid them to foil the attempts of kidnappers.

Beneficiaries of the Kidnapping Sensitization

At the session, over 150 pupils of the school were educated, informed and armed with information on how to detect strangers in their community, documented tactics and tricks used by kidnapper to capture children and adults. Pupils were also enlightened with visual aids that help drive home the stress and pain their loved ones go through and why they must stay safe and obey rules on security at home, school and in their places of worship.

Persons Who can kidnap

The need to raise alarm when they detect a strange character in the neighbourhood was also emphasized. HRRG boss, Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor said “Just as strangers can kidnap kids, family and friends could equally be used to perpetuate the crime or they themselves could engage in family kidnapping. In some instances, children or adults are kidnapped or stolen as bait to help extort money from parents. One motive of such criminals is to use victims for rituals or for economic gains among others.”

Common Lures of Kidnappers to be worried of

HRRG Project Director, Mr. Wisdom Hammond who was also present at the training session explained some of the common lures of kidnappers that school children, teachers and the society, in general, should be aware of to be able to see and detect danger, act promptly to avert any danger.

In some kidnapping attempts that have been documented, kidnappers use items such as toffees, toys to lure unsuspecting kids. They sometimes sweet-talk them to make them fall their pranks.

The kids were advised to only take such things from parents. They were also advised to desist from accepting a ride on motorbikes and in cars of strangers as well.

For the teens present, the need to reveal less information about one’s self on social media was touched on as kidnappers could use the information to select them as targets and kidnap them after carefully surveying the environment.

They were advised to watch out for new persons and unfamiliar characters within their community and report to the appropriate authorities, teachers and parents without delay.

Among the pupils who benefited from the sensitization, Alice Adutwumuaa (P5) and Gideon Anaba (P1) were very outstanding in their contributions, questions and answers to the discussion to the amazement of the officers. This is an indication that projects such as this are worth the efforts of civil society organizations such as the Human Rights Reporters Ghana.

Funding Challenges of Human Rights Reporters Ghana

Currently, the organization is carrying out this important social service without funding but believes, the fight to inform, enlighten and empower children on their rights and the Kidnapping saga must continue.

Corporate organizations, Government, Philanthropists and other Civil Society Project funding Organizations should come to the aid of the Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG) to be able to reach as many schools and communities as possible.

The NGO has partnered with the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Education Service(GES) to educate society until they realize a society for all without discrimination.

Organizations and well-meaning individuals who want to support this noble cause can make donations to the HRRG account with Bank of Africa New Town Branch: Human Rights Reporters Gh. Account Number 02609550007.

Source: Ghananaweb.com

HRRG sensitises over 200 teachers, parents on kidnapping

A sensitisation programme aimed at protecting students against kidnapping in Ghana was on Monday held for over 200 parents and teachers of M and Bee School, at Nii Boi Town, Lapaz in Accra.

It was organised by the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

About 10 schools across the country had so far benefited from the sensitisation and awareness programmes by the HRRG on preventive measures against kidnapping, teenage pregnancy and Tramadol abuse in schools.

The Executive Director of HRRG, Joseph Kobla Wemakor, said the organisation had so far educated about 2,000 students and aims to reach out to parents and guardians nationwide of thier responsibilities in protecting their wards from the canker of kidnapping.

He urged parents and guardians to desist from the habit of sending their children out of home on night errands so as to protect them from falling victims to potential kidnappers.

Mr Wemakor admonished them to endeavour to give the best of care and attention to their wards to foster good relationship between them.

“By so doing, your wards can confide in you anytime they have issues with people outside home,” he said.

According to him, kidnappings were on top of the most sensitive issues in the country in recent times and there was the need to create collaborative engagements between teachers and parents to protect wards from such dangers.

“There is the need for teachers and parents to be vigorously educated, because they have a collective role to play in protecting their wards, if we’re to stomp the canker it must start from home and at school,” Mr Wemakor said.

He implored teachers not to hand over wards to suspicious parents who arrived in schools to take them.

On his part, the Director of M and Bee School, Mr Joejo Barnes, expressed delight in the activities of the HRRG for impacting knowledge to parents and teachers on the thorny kidnapping situation.

He assured that the school would allocate a time period on its academic calendar to host experts to impact knowledge to students on kidnapping, Tramadol abuse and teenage pregnancy.

BY DAVID NYANOR TAKYI/http://www.ghanaiantimes.com.gh

Pupils of CareGuide Montessori School sensitized on kidnapping

The Director of CareGuide Montessori School, located at Gbawe, in the Greater Accra Region, Mad. Betty Akumatey has called for government support to help augment various sensitization exercises on kidnapping being organized by some Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organizations in the country as a way of tackling the canker of abduction that has rocked the nation in recent times.

“I think the sensitization must go on from all levels and I believe that this is something that government should throw its weight behind”.

“It should go on in all social circles, churches and schools, homes, communities, wherever, and above all in the media, especially now that a lot of our children are using social media., we should have them sensitized at all fronts”.

Madam Akumatey made this known on the sidelines of a sensitization exercise on kidnapping conducted by the Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG) during their visit to the CareGuide Montessori School, located at Gbawe, in the Greater Accra Region on Monday April 8, 2019.

The exercise which formed part of a campaign by the Human Rights group to rid Ghana of kidnapping issues which has become a phenomenon in recent times saw 250 kids made up of pupils of KG1 up to JHS 3 vigorously sensitized on the modus operandi, tricks, techniques and strategies employ by kidnappers to get their targets.

During the exercise, which was very interactive, the participants had turns to ask mindboggling questions on kidnapping and answers were adequately provided to their satisfaction.

The sensitization exercise was conducted in batches, taking level of the kids into consideration. It was conducted by the able team of HRRG volunteers made up of Nana Owusu Boadu, Beatrice Annan and Benjamin Hallo with support of the HRRG’s Executive Director, Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor.

The issue of kidnapping raised its ugly head in Ghana in August last year and continues to wreak havoc without any concrete solution.

The incredible disappearance of seven (7) girls in 2018 among others of which 3 of them from the Western Region are yet to be found still remains a mystery to unravel.

Kidnapping is the act of abducting, seizing or capturing someone and holding him/her captive against the law, and will of the person. While people are kidnapped and killed for rituals, blood money, and other evil motives, others are kidnapped, raped, killed and dumped on the streets.

The act leads to the violation of the freedom and fundamental human rights of kidnapped persons which is a criminal offence.

According to media reports, since invasion of the phenomenon in the country last year, young girls and children of school-going age have become the most affected.

The social issue has caught the attention of Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG), an NGO championing human rights issues in Ghana to sensitize school children and the general public on the activities of kidnappers with the hope that the information will go a long way to help educate, inform and arm the public with strategies to help foil such attempts of kidnappers.

Madam Betty Akumatey, who is also an experienced sociologist, anthropologist and gender expert, in an interview described the issue of kidnapping as global phenomenon, but notes that it is currently taking root in our part of the world.

She therefore advised Ghanaians to be circumspect in extending the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality to strangers, and conscientize children accordingly, so that they don’t assume that everybody is kind.

According to her, that cultural perspective no longer holds, adding, “we can’t take these things for granted anymore because there are criminals creeping in from various societies, countries, especially we know what is happening in Nigeria, you know, It’s having a toll on us”.

“We are too welcoming of strangers and our children are also very welcoming of strangers and that puts them at risk”.

“We should all be vigilant now and not just trust anybody” She stressed.

While patting the Human Rights Reporters Ghana on the back for a good initiative to sensitize school children and the public on the canker, she quickly appealed to other organization and individuals championing similar causes, including government, to collaborate to end the activities of kidnappers in the country.

Source:Ghanaweb.com

HRRG schools over 400 pupils on pranks of kidnappers

Kidnapping has become a worrying social issue in Ghana and so the HRRG is championing efforts at demystifying the kidnapping phenomenon in Ghana. Human Rights Reporters Ghana, a dynamic NGO with a vision and mission to educate, be an advocate and the voice for women, girls and children has organized a massive sensitization workshop for over 400 pupils of Tower Preparatory & JHS School

The over 400 pupils of the preparatory school located in Accra, were equipped with world-class authentic and adequate knowledge to help stay safe and foil any attempt of kidnappers. The beneficiaries were also provided with basic techniques to help them outsmart tricks used by kidnappers.

The volunteers of the Human Rights Reporters Ghana educated the pupils on the operandi, tactics as well as the plans that are often deployed by kidnappers. Knowledge on this will go a long way to help the children avoid been lured.

In addition, the beneficiaries were armed to the teeth with guidelines that will help them outwit the so-called kidnappers.

The Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana

Mr. Joseph Wemakor the Executive Director who was on the ground with the hard-working volunteers informed the media that, the sensitization exercise was part of the bigger project of the organization which aims at informing and educating on kidnapping an issue that has gained the attention of the entire country with little been done to educate the populace.

He also informed that media that, other sub-projects within the KTT project of the organization which will be rolled out soon include its flagship training and workshops to help curtail the worrying teenage pregnancy and the abuse of Tramadol by the youth of the country.

This will go a long way to help deal with all manner of miscreants engaged in abduction of our young girls, ladies, children and the vulnerable in general.

It is believed that the training on kidnapping will help in these trying moments when it has escalated and has become a major topic on varied national and international platforms.

Why the Sensitization on kidnapping by Human Rights Reporters Ghana

The mysterious disappearance of (3) girls: Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Ruth Love Quayson and Priscilla Koranteng in the Western Region namely without knowing their whereabouts send shivers the spine of many right thinking members of our society.

This and other human rights violation issues in the country called for this important project which is yielding positive results, educating children and inspiring confidence in our future leaders. This is the time to educate the citizenry and arm them with the relevant skills, and knowledge on such matters .

Support the KTT project – Kidnapping, Teenage Pregnancy and Tramadol Abuse

The impact of this project has been heartwarming although it is at the pilot stage. Soon, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana will roll out the nationwide sensitization in all the ten regions of Ghana. They used the opportunity to appeal to well meaning Ghanaian, Other NGOs, and civil society organizations, Businesses and Philamtropist to support this noble project to reach at least 10 million Ghana’s.

Mr. Marvin Owusu Boateng, the Headmaster of the School has lauded the gallant effort of in the Human Rights Reporters Ghana for the brilliant concept and believes that such programs need to be organized more frequently for the pupils.