Low socio-economic status of single parents contribute immensely to children in such homes exhibiting anti-social behaviours, unnecessary aggression and being saddled with problems at school.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Sampson Agbeko, Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), stated this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on Monday.
He explained that children who ended up tied to their maternal side faced many challenges like low-level of education, high absenteeism in school and high drop-out rate, with the boys engaging in delinquent activities like alcoholism, armed robbery and drug addiction.
DSP Agbeko noted that 80 percent of defilement cases in Ghana emanated from single parenting and asked feuding parents to settle their differences rather than seek for divorce.
He mentioned misunderstanding about sex among couples and pressure from families as some causes of divorce and asked the general public and religious bodies to prepare couples well for marriage.
The DOVVSU Co-ordinator appealed to the government to establish an institution for traumatised people and to equip the Unit with psychologists, doctors and pastors to educate married people on the effects of divorce.
“Child’s rights do not mean a child can do whatever he or she likes. Children should be taught what is morally right in order to eradicate the high cases of armed robbery and other criminal activities by the youth,” he said.
DSP Agbeko called on the media to help in creating awareness on the negative effects of single parenting, adding, women empowerment should be the number one priority of the media.
“The responsibility of a child is very important so as we teach the child his or her rights we should also let them know their responsibilities,” he said.