TANO SOUTH DISTRICT ASSEMBLY ELIMINATION OF WORST FORM OF CHILD LABOUR IN COCOA CELEBRATION OF WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOUR REPORT

This year’s celebration which fell on Friday 12^th June was on the theme “Give Girls a Chance; End Child Labour”. This was expected to be celebrated in each of the selected Districts of Ghana.

Tano South District chose Old Brosankro a Community among the ten selected communities to eliminate Worst Form of Child Labour in Cocoa, to celebrate the Day.

The programme commenced with school children in Old Brosankro matching through the principal streets of the Community with plaque cards bearing such words as Stop Child Labour, Send Your Girl Child to School, Say No to The Child Labour, “Fa Wo Ba Ko Sukuu” and many others.

Dignitaries at the function included the chiefs, Assemblyman, Unit Committee Chairman and his members, parents and the youth. Other dignitaries at the function include the District Co-odinating Director, District Finance Officer, District Planning Officer, Nana Bremehene and some members of the District Child Protection Committee.

The DCD, Mr. Daniel Osei-Asibey asked parents and the community as a whole to laise with government to help stop child prostitution, using children for quarrying, child slavery, servitude and female genital mutilation which is generally termed as Exploitation. The DCD further advised parents to take very good care of their children as children are gifts from God.

Speaking at the function Mr. Owusu Daniel (District Budget Analyst) recounted on why it has became necessary to eliminate this Worst Form of Child Labour in Cocoa growing areas, he further enlightened parents, community , the district and the nation as a whole the meaning and forms of child labour and their effects on the children.

Mr. Abdulai S. Dapaah (District Director of Social Welfare) also spoke on the causes of child labour which he attributed to divorce, irresponsible parenting, incompatibility among parents, teenage parenting, uncontrolled birth, over birth and among others. He also spoke on the issues of child trafficking, child bonding among others. He further emphasized on the laws that prohibited child labour and child trafficking by quoting Section 94 sub Section 1 of Act 560 of 1998 and section 2, subsections 1 – 4 of Act 694 of 2005 to indicate the punishment in violations of the laws.

Mr. Boakye Akuoku the District HIV/AIDS Focal Person used the opportunity to sensitize the community on the prevalence of the HIV/AIDS disease and ask the Community to be cautious. He also advised women to toil hard to raise their children rather than following unnecessary functions such as funerals and naming ceremonies.

Nana Bremehene also encouraged parents to help in the implementation of the programme since it will benefit the parents more than the government. He also pleaded with the committee that would be formed to work hard for the implementation and sustainability of the programme.

The general public present at the function asked questions such as:

· Agya Baba (a community member) appealed to the women (mothers) to always assist the men (fathers) since all responsibilities of child caring is always left to the men to perform.

· Nana Ama (One Community Member) on the other hand accuses the men for negligence of child caring and always left the responsibilities to only the women to perform. She promised that if men assume the responsibility of child caring, child labour would be eliminated.

· Mr. Kwarteng Fredrick appealed to the District Assembly to assist them with school buildings (classrooms) since the school buildings were a threat to the life of pupils using them as classrooms.

BARNIE K AGYEMAN

DISTRICT INFORMATION OFFICER