We are committed to help protect the rights of the poor-CMT

Members of the Central Region’s newly constituted Community Monitoring Team (CMT) have pledged their commitment to helping protect the rights of the poor and homeless.

A member of the CMT, Joseph Amakye representing Awutu Senya East Municipality, said it had been difficult to report abuses because of lack of evidence on their part.

Mr. Amakye said this on behalf of the team when Crime Check Foundation (CCF) presented mobile phones to them.

The presentation forms part of the implementation of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) funded “Decriminalization of Vagrancy Laws and Advocacy” project.

The project is being carried-out in twelve (12) Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Greater Accra, Central and Ashanti Regions of Ghana.

The CMT members are to record audios and videos of abuses and forward it to CCF for further action to be taken.

Mr. Amakye said the devices would help make their work easier and promised that they would not renege on their duty as community monitors.

“We thank CCF and OSIWA for equipping us. This will go a long way to help us do our work with ease. We will use the phone for its intended purpose,” he said.

The project Manager of CCF, Cosmos Akorli who presented the phones on behalf of the Foundation’s Executive Director, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng entreated the CMT to speak for the vulnerable and make their plight known.

“You represent the people and you relate with them better that is why we are giving you this devices so that you can help make their voices heard,” he said.

The team members are Joseph Amakye, Naa Darkoa, Frank Nkrumah, Mary Mintah, Richard Owusu, Halima Sadia Ishaq and Samuel Awudza representing Awutu Senya West District, Awutu Senya East Municipality, and Mfantseman Municipality.

About the CCF-OSIWA Project:

CCF isa crime prevention and human rights advocacy organization in Ghana. The Decriminalizing Vagrancy Laws and Advocacy project is funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). The projectseeks to create an enabling environment for vagrants (the homeless and other poor and voiceless persons) to know, claim and exercise their rights to end criminalization of vagrancy or homelessness in Ghana.

About OSIWA:

Established in 2000, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is a grant-making and advocacy organization focused on equality, justice, democratic governance, human rights and knowledge generation. It is part of the global network of Open Society Foundations spread across 37 countries around the world.