Children involved in economic activities.
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9th July, 2009
Economic Activities Draw Children Out Of School
A community animation programme on child labour held in ten communities in the Obuasi municipality has established that most children are involved in major economic activities to the detriment of their schooling.
Farming, trading and artisinal mining are among the economic activities that engage the attention of the children in the ten communities.
They are Apitikooko, Odumasi, Dokyiwa, Diawuoso, Pomposo, Adaase, Ntonsua, Mampamhwe, Mamiriwa and Kwabenakwakrom.
The programme, which was facilitated by Mr Rexford Asubonteng, the Municipal Labour Officer and Mr Philip Gyasi Afful, Quality Control Officer of the Obuasi office of COCOBOD, was under the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC).
Community members used the occasion to appraise themselves on their roles in child labour associated with cocoa production and other child welfare protection issues and came out with local initiatives to deal with the problems.
The communities agreed to undertake periodic sensitisation of members, enforce local bye-laws and form farmers groups (Nnoboa) to check the involvement of children in farming activities and other economic ventures.
Addressing the people of Kwabenakwakrom to round off the programme, the Municipal Social Welfare Officer, Mr Emmanuel Akoto-Sarpong said some of the children even suffer physical harm as a result of their participation in those activities.
He pointed out that children constituted the future of the nation and that it behoved all stakeholders to ensure that they were protected from all forms of child labour related activities.
Mr Akoto-Sarpong, who is also the Field Co-ordinator of the Child Labour programme in the municipality advised against involving children in excessive and harmful jobs especially on the farm that affect their education.
Farming, trading and artisinal mining are among the economic activities that engage the attention of the children in the ten communities.
They are Apitikooko, Odumasi, Dokyiwa, Diawuoso, Pomposo, Adaase, Ntonsua, Mampamhwe, Mamiriwa and Kwabenakwakrom.
The programme, which was facilitated by Mr Rexford Asubonteng, the Municipal Labour Officer and Mr Philip Gyasi Afful, Quality Control Officer of the Obuasi office of COCOBOD, was under the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC).
Community members used the occasion to appraise themselves on their roles in child labour associated with cocoa production and other child welfare protection issues and came out with local initiatives to deal with the problems.
The communities agreed to undertake periodic sensitisation of members, enforce local bye-laws and form farmers groups (Nnoboa) to check the involvement of children in farming activities and other economic ventures.
Addressing the people of Kwabenakwakrom to round off the programme, the Municipal Social Welfare Officer, Mr Emmanuel Akoto-Sarpong said some of the children even suffer physical harm as a result of their participation in those activities.
He pointed out that children constituted the future of the nation and that it behoved all stakeholders to ensure that they were protected from all forms of child labour related activities.
Mr Akoto-Sarpong, who is also the Field Co-ordinator of the Child Labour programme in the municipality advised against involving children in excessive and harmful jobs especially on the farm that affect their education.
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