The Crystal Clear Lens, Friday, September 28, 2012.

Residents of the Tema Metropolis are full of praises for Safe Child Ghana, a Tema-based non-government organisation (NGO), for its timely and swift response to protect lives of children in the metropolis who were dangerously exposed to death traps of three open reservoirs.

This follows the NGO’s effort of providing roofing for the three open reservoirs near the Tema Children’s Park at Community 5, and subsequently covering them to save lives of the children.

“Our children are now safe anytime they move around that area which was very dangerous to them and we parents must be grateful to the NGO, Safe Child Ghana for its desire to secure and protect the lives of these innocent children, the future leaders of Ghana from the unnecessary death scare. We thank them for the irreplaceable effort,” one Madam Yaa stated.

Daily Guide, Sept. 27, 2012.

‘Tragedy struck residents of Okponglo near Legon yesterday as four children were suffocated in an abandoned car at an abandoned mechanic’s workshop.

Two of the victims, Samira Ibrahim, seven, and Salifu Ibrahim, two-and-half, were siblings and Ernestina Anang and Josephine Martey, both four, were cousins.

They were reportedly left home in the morning to play within the Okponglo vicinity where they lived but never returned until their bodies were discovered in the abandoned vehicle. The tinted glasses made it difficult for passerby to have noticed the children without a closer peep. With signs of sweat all over them, the parents and neighbours thought the children were still alive.

They were rushed to the Legon Hospital at about 2:30pm after they were discovered unconscious but medics on duty said the children had died about two hours earlier.

Their remains have since been deposited at the Legon Hospital’s morgue awaiting autopsy while the police are taking steps to unravel the mystery surrounding their death.’ …Mmmnnnnn!!!

Michael Baabu, founder of Safe Child has been nominated for the GUBA Humanitarian Award for the 3rd annual Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards Ceremony. The GUBA Awards will be held on Saturday 10 November, 2012 at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel London, London, SE1 7TJ, 7pm.

GUBA is a platform which showcases exceptional achievement and celebrates individuals, collectives and businesses that are excelling within the British Ghanaian community and, also, a platform to honour the extraordinary accomplishments of Ghanaians worldwide.; the GUBA Humanitarian Award is in recognition of an individual who is an advocate of a human welfare cause and worked tirelessly to affect lives.

Voting for GUBA 2012 is officially opened at midnight, Sunday, 23rd September – and all votes are to be placed by 23:59pm, Sunday 28th October 2012 at http://www.gubaawards.co.uk/gubavoting/index.php/categories/green-community/172-vote-humanitarian-award …

Please note that only 1 vote, will be able to be cast per voting device i.e. desktop / laptop /mobile device.

I encourage all to vote for me, Michael Baabu to win the GUBA Humanitarian Award 2012. Please, spread the word for your family, friends and networks to also vote for me.

Thank you.

I came across this inscription on a board at the Aflao Lorry Station in Tema, near the Motorway Round About. Though humorous, it has thought provoking road safety message on over-speeding.

This Road Safety Hymns cautions drivers not to exceed speed limits. The intensity of the Warning and its Implications increases as drivers increases their speed.

Always drive within limits. We need you Alive!

Daily Guide Newspaper, Wednesday, September 19, 2012, Page 17.

‘Stop Killing Our Children.’

Story By: Solomon Ofori

“A child’s rights advocate and founder of Safe Child Ghana, a Tema based NGO has called on government officials to take measures to rectify obstacles that posed a threat to the lives of children.

Michael Baabu gave the caution in an interview he granted DAILY GUIDE at his Tema office.

He observed that it had become the norm for Ghanaians to sit by unconcerned and not report or take action to remove obstacles that threatened the lives of both children and adults.

He said the appropriate authorities usually do not do anything about problems such as Open Trenches, Exposed Underground Electrical Cables, Cracked or Falling school walls and Bridges until someone fell prey and died as a result of it.

Mr. Baabu added that the inhumane attitude where people especially politicians quickly run to the media for publicity to express their condolences and shower gifts or donations on the families of the victims of preventable deaths and injuries was unfortunate.

“These acts will not bring back the lost child,” he said wondering why we should always wait for a soul to lost before action was taken to remedy such problems.

Safe Child Ghana is a vibrant organisation with a great passion to put pressure on  the relevant bodies and authorities to remove all such traps promptly, he noted.

He mentioned several success stories of the NGO’s interventions in this regard such as the covering of the giant manholes nicknamed the “Tema Killers” near the Children’s Park, which have claimed the lives of  many people including children for the past forty years.

He said Safe Child Ghana has introduced a new project called ‘Inform to Save’ which is targeted at educating communities on safety practices as well as preventions.

He urged people living in various communities to notify Safe Child of any hazards or death traps that are likely to claim the lives of children to be rectified.”

The Olebu community in Accra, was thrown into shock on Sunday, September 09, 2012, when two boys, Emmanuel Yankson, 8 and Alhaji Haruna, 9, were found drowned in a pool under the footbridge of a newly constructed culvert.

Safe Child discovered after the tragedy that, this open culvert has been a death trap for people in the community especially children for some time now. Parents and adults in communities must be more responsible. Please call Safe Child’s “Informing to Save” Hotline 233-20-1333545 to avert such tragedies in our communities.

These unnecessary deaths of children must stop. Let’s act now!

Michael with his Advisor, Ama K. Abebrese after the strategic meeting.

Award Winning Actress, Ama making a point.

I’m so upset
I can’t go on
I want to die
They made me cry

They called me names
They pulled my clothes
They sprained my wrist
They broke my nose

They followed me home
They tripped me up
They stole my diary
They ripped it up

They really scared me
They made me bleed
One had a knife
One had speed

I didn’t tell
I kept it quiet
My lip sliced with wire

I’m sorry, Mum
I’m sorry, Dad
Hope you understand
It was really bad

The hurt was too much
As well as the pain
If it didn’t stop
I would have gone insane

I felt trapped
I felt alone
I couldn’t cope
I was on my own

I went to bed
I cried all night
Every night the same
Until I died.

-Heather D

Please do not
Make the little girl across the road cry.
Please do not
Snatch the toy of that little boy.

You are not different from us
You are not better.
Please keep this in mind
It really matters.

Do you want to know
Why children run when you’re near?
Do you wish to be friends
With us, who are so full of fear?

So stop bullying
Stop being a little tyrant.
For nobody likes a bully
Which you’ve always been.

-Char

How Can We Stop Bullying?
1. Don’t be a bully.
2. Tell someone.
3. Be nice to everyone.
Stop and think before you take action.
Have you ever felt hurt by someone’s words or actions?

-Nikki, 4th Grade

They tear you apart,
they get in your head,
they shatter your heart,
they make you feel dead.
They somehow get deep,
way into your mind,
secrets they won’t keep,
and more they will find.
They share them with friends,
so people can hear,
your rumor is out,
and so is your fear.
They ruin it all,
your life they could end,
too strong and too tall,
for you to defend.
They punch and they kick,
their words oh so strong,
they are just so sick,
they are just so wrong.
They do have a lot,
and they are really smart,
But they don’t have one thing,
and that’s a good heart.

-Renee

I walk in and everyone starts to stop and stare,

I start to feel awkward and just run to my chair,

I stay quiet like I’ve done something wrong,

and bury my head cos I’ve got to be strong.

I look up from my work, it’s all started again,
The giggles and whispers, the scratch of a pen,
They’re writing absurd notes, passing them around,
but even right now i am not making a sound,

Break time comes, i just want to run away,
I go into the toilets, i just hope and i pray,
I look into the mirror and look right at my face,
covered in sweat and tears, oh what a disgrace,

What am i doing crying and hiding like this,
I feel like going in the room and giving some fist,
but I’m not that kind of person, I’m just too shy,
I’m a kind person who wouldn’t even hurt a fly,

I need to go home now and get a little rest,
I’ll get prepared for tomorrow and try my best,
not to let any of them bother me in any way,
As tomorrow is the start of another new day,

At home i put on some music and have a cry,
At last i am free and at home, I give a sigh,
Then i jump into bed and i turn off the light,
but i wake up because i get such a fright,

I have had a nightmare, this is all i need now,
I want it all to go away, I ask why and how,
Is this all my fault for being scared and quiet,
Is it my fault that I’m thin and their on a diet,

but i am just me i can’t be nobody else, ever,
cos i don’t want to feel like this, now or never!

-Amanda Linzi