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After a demonstration of care and affection for the newborn baby abandoned in a dark, untidy and uncompleted building, the Department of Social Welfare has allegedly denied Madam Abena custody of the child.
The woman, a known resident of Twimea a small community in the Techiman District of the Bono East Region, saved the baby with the help of some relatives and neighbours.
The child, looking all grimy from footage available to Angelonline.com.gh, was soiled with amniotic fluid dried up by the dust in which she laid on a bare floor.
Madam Abena in the presence of the witnesses wrapped the child in a cloth to provide some warmth for her and on the advice of Police officers in the area took the baby to Holy Family Hospital for a check-up to ensure her wellness.
“The nurses on duty who responded to our need instructed me to leave the baby in their care and go home, but I refused and stayed because I needed to be sure about her well-being,” she told Angelonline.com.gh.
According to her, it took several attempts before two officers from the Department of Social Welfare came to the hospital to perform their duties.
“We went to the police station where I wrote my statement and my husband also wrote his,” she said adding that she footed the hospital bills and paid for fuel used by the officers to check the scene where the child was abandoned.
After all the rounds, one of the two officers whose name she gave as Solo called to inform her that “the child is the government’s so when discharged from the hospital, they will take her to a children’s home.”
Madam Abena in her narration said she pleaded with the officers to grant her the custodial right because she has raised a child in a similar situation “till she turned eight”.
“I even showed pictures of the child to them to prove that I am capable of raising her so they will not send her to children’s home,” she added.
The desperate woman also tried to show them her home for visits to check on the child and for investigation purposes but the officers, according to her, would not budge.
To worsen the situation, the officer said Madam Abena will not have custody of the child “until all who have filled adoption forms are satisfied”.
The Adontehene whom the case was referred to for intervention because he was regarded as the officers’ superior also denied them custody while allegedly saying “the child is mine, I have filled forms to show my interest in a baby like that..so if I don’t permit the child to be given to you, you won’t have custody of her” as quoted by Madam Abena.
According to the baby’s rescuer, on Wednesday one of four Social Welfare officers who paid a visit to her gave her an envelope and when it was handed to her he left her presence leaving Mr Solo two other ladies.
According to her, when they decided to take the baby from her, she implored them to wait till her husband who was on his way to arrive so he can engage them but the officers would not spend any more minutes.
“So they whisked the child from my limbs,” she said adding that even when she determined to follow them to their destination one of the women restricted her and said, “my eyes will never see her again.”
“Before I could wear my footwear to follow them, they had dashed out with the child so now I don’t know where the child and the officers are.
“My worry is, with the way they whisked the child from me, where are they sending her to? What’s her future like? What are they going to use her for?” the rescuer expressed.
