GHANA GEARS UP FIGHT AGAINST CHILD LABOUR

-

Nearly 22 per cent of the about eight million children translating into one out of every five children within the age range of five and 17 years in Ghana are engaged in child labour in different sectors of the national economy. The situation is seriously impacting on the personal development, education and health of such children and undermining school enrollment. 

To address the problem, the Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations and its partners are taking pragmatic steps to withdraw all children illegally engaged in any form of employment anywhere in the country. The sector Minister, Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, gave the assurance in an address read for him in Kumasi at a day’s National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the Creation of Child Labour-Free Zones in Ghana.

The National Dialogue which was on the theme: “Building Momentum; Sharing Practices and Inspiring Stakeholders towards the Creation of Child Labour-Free Zones in Ghana”. It aimed at seeking the input and support of major stakeholders in the subject towards the formulation of a workable National Action Plan for the elimination of the canker of child labour with the creation of specific geographic areas across the country as Child Labour-Free Zones as one of the key strategies. 

Among the participants of the National Stakeholders Dialogue were representatives of the Ghana Agriculture Workers Union, GAWU, some civil society organizations involved in the crusade against child labour, traditional leaders, some withdrawn child labourers, the Department of Social Welfare, Department of Labour and foreign development partners. 

The Paramount Chief of Kumawu in Ashanti, Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua, called for a national action plan that would deal with factors that encourage child labour while finding an operational definition for child labour.

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Madam Elizabeth Agyemang, described child labour as any engagement that negatively affects the welfare and education of the child involved while reducing school enrollment. She lauded the Child Labour-Free Zones initiative since it would allow for the gradual and systematic withdrawal of children from any form of employment in the designated areas.

 A Co-Founder of Action Against Child Exploitation, ACE, an international NGO, Madam Tomoko Shiroki, explained that her NGO has prioritized the elimination of child labour, particularly from cocoa production to ensure fairness in the production processes.

In an address read on behalf of the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Rudolph Kuuzeh, described the formulation of a National Action Plan against child labour as very critical in the national crusade against the problem.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JUTE FACTORY IS BACK

-
Image
the administrative block under rehabilitation At long last, the much talked about defunct GIHOC Fibre manufacturing Company popularly known as the Jute Factory, is to be back in operations very soon.  Ashanti Today can confirm that work is feverishly ongoing towards the revival of the once golden sacks manufacturing company with the first production expected in the first quarter of next year.  It is a public-private partnership with a wholly Ghanaian company, Jute Mills Ghana Limited being the operator and has already sunk about five million Ghana Cedis to revamp the company.  The Jute Factory is located within the industrial area of Kaase.  It has been on divestiture for about 20 years now with successive governments paying lip-service to revamp it.   The old machinery at main factory to be replaced soon  It is one project that is dear to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who has used almost every opportunity with business people and investors wh
Read more

THE STATE OF KUMASI'S 'INDUSTRIAL AREA

-
The once Industrial enclave of the Ashanti region within the Kumasi metropolis is fast losing its status as the nerve centre of jobs for the people.     This is due to the collapse of most of the companies in quick succession in  the last few years for various reasons. Background Industrialization was a key component of the first wholly indigenous government of Ghana led by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Ashanti region was not left out in this drive which was meant to create decent jobs for the residents, particularly the youth.  Asokwa, Ahinsan, Kaase, Atonsu and Kyirapatre were the communities that became what is known as the ‘Industrial Area’ of Ashanti from the early 60s.  The christening of this enclave as the ‘Industrial Area’ was the people’s appreciation of the numerous state and privately owned companies that were sited there.  These communities fall within present day Asokwa Constituency which is in the western part of the metropolis from the Accra d
Read more

KWAMANG SHS NEEDS URGENT HELP

-
Image
New Campus of the Kwamang Presby SHS The Kwamang Presby Senior High/Technical School in the Sekyere Central district of Ashanti needs an urgent external intervention to address some of its pressing basic needs to function very well.  A visit by Ashanti Today to the school’s premises revealed that the school does not have an administrative block to administer affairs of the school for which reason the Headmistress, the Bursar and another staff are sharing one room which has been partitioned, while the Assistant Headmaster, the rest of the Accounts staff among other administrative officers are also working from an improvised classroom. Anybody who visits the Kwamang Presby Senior High Technical school for the first time will unavoidably take it for a basic school.  This is more so when it appears to be perching on the premises of the local Junior High School as its old site.  The school is wallowing in a myriad of challenges that are seriously militating against
Read more