The Adansi North District Assembly (ANDA) has launched a project which declared the district as a child labour free zone to ensure the elimination of child labour and makes responsible parenting a priority to parents.
The declaration is part of the ANDA resolve to eliminate child labour in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) with its programmes funded by the US Department of Labour.
The launched also saw the inauguration of a committee who are tasked work with an approved by-law to ensure the successful implementation and achievement of the project results.
Mr Kusi Kwaku Eric, District Chief Executive (DCE) of ANDA in his addressed to launch the project said, child labour has, over the years, been an issue of national and international concern and has brought together leaders of various nations to finding its solutions.
He said Section 16 of the Children’s Act entrusts the care and protection of all children in the hands of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and to ensure that this mandate is carried out, the ANDA joins the fight for children against the menace of child labour.
Mr Eric said the United Nations (UN) defines child labour as any work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity.
This he said refers to works that are mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and interferes with their education by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave school prematurely, or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.
Mr Eric said it was obvious from the above that child labour is cruel, exploitative and one of the most heinous crimes that can be perpetrated by any person or group of persons against children, and must be eliminated in our societies.
He said child labour steals the childhood, the human right and dignity of children and must be eliminated and that factors responsible for the perpetuation of child labour include irresponsible parenting, children born out of wedlock and children with no parents and relatives among others.
He therefore called on Ghanaians to support the New Patriotic Party government led by President Akufo-Addo which has demonstrated commitment to social interventions.
He said the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education, the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme, were some of the interventions adopted to increase school enrolments and alleviate the economic burden of parents.
Mr Emmanuel Kwame Mensah, Project Director Giovanni Soledad of ILO Caring Gold Mining Project said Ghana has realized that child labour was a challenge and that government through its institutions was leading a national crusade against the menace and was making progress, which the ILO has recognizes the efforts.
Mr Mensah said data available at the Ghana Statistical Service in 2014 revealed that one out five children in the country were involved in child labour activities bringing the number to 1,890,000.
The Project Coordinator said there was a strong child labour monitoring systems aimed at eliminating the menace and that there was the need to improve on the enforcement mechanism of the country law to deal with culprits.
He called on institutions mandated to mitigate child labour to strengthened and build the capacity of its staff to be able to fight the menace.
The DCE, Mr Kusi Kwaku Eric addressing the gathering
