The Adaklu District Assembly has commemorated Child Labour Day with a call on government to intensify education on the rights of children and the responsibilities of parents.
Also, all governmental and non-governmental child related agencies must mobilize and harness resources to enable them to play their roles effectively and efficiently.
Mad. Juliana Kpedekpo, Adaklu District Chief Executive, who made the call, said the capacities of all relevant stakeholders should be built for the effective implementation of the laws on children.
The day was on the theme: ‘Intensify action against child labour, do it fast, do it now.’
Madam Kpedekpo noted that child labour had a serious debilitating effect on children since it destroyed them physically, mentally, socially and morally.
She mentioned some forms of hazardous and exploitative labour as fishing, mining, quarrying, porterage, shepherding and night work.
The DCE said though the government had put in place policies and programmes to combat child labour, most people seemed not to be aware and still engage children in all forms of child labour.
She said some of the interventions were the implementation of the child and family welfare policy, which educates families on the rights of the child and the responsibilities of parents towards their children.
Others, she said, were economic empowerment of households such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty, Labour-Intensive Public Work, School Feeding Programme and standard operating procedures to protect child domestic workers.
Madam Kpedekpo called on all stakeholders to come on board to eradicate child labour in the country and help children to develop their latent talents for them to become useful citizens.
He added: ‘By doing so we can eradicate poverty from society.’
Mrs Susan Akortia, Adaklu District Director of Department of Social Welfare, urged all, especially parents, to be a hedge around their children so as not to expose them to dangerous people and hazardous conditions.
The DCE advised parents against large family sizes, pushing their girl child into prostitution.
Rather, they should undertake profitable ventures to look after their children.
She also urged them not to expose them to premature financial independence as it would disrupt their education and breed indiscipline.
During an open forum, the people attributed child labour to poverty, economic hardships and broken homes.
Pictures of some forms of child labour were shown to the gathering and one which depicted a man escorting a small boy struggling under a big load and visibly tired got the people screaming in unison.
Source: Ghana News Agency