The Adansi North District has launched a programme aimed at eliminating child labour in the district.
The programme, dubbed “Child Labour Free Zone”, is aimed at protecting children from all forms of exploitation and promote their welfare and development.
The Assembly has drafted by-laws and also constituted a committee to provide protection and supervise the movement of children less than 18 years of age in all towns and villages within the Assembly.
This is to ensure children have the opportunity to fully develop and have access to quality education.
The District Chief Executive, Eric Kwaku Kusi, expressed his appreciation to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM), for providing financial and technical support towards the launch of the programme.
At the launch of the programme, Regional Director of the Information Service Department (ISD), Nana Akrasi Sarpong, said Ghana as a signatory to many International Conventions on child rights, must do all it can to adhere to it.
He added that the welfare and interest of the Ghanaian child are of paramount interest to the government which has already initiated a number of policies and interventions to support parents financially to enrol their children in school rather than engaging them in trading activities.
On his part, National Programme Officer for Child Labour of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Emmanuel Kwame Mensah noted that, about 152 million children worldwide, are engaged in work not appropriate for their age and was affecting their health, education and development.
He, therefore, commended the Adansi North District for working towards the elimination of child labour within its communities.
The Director of Operations of the (GNASSM), Emmanuel Yirenkyi Antwi, said one of the objectives of (GNASSM) was excluding children from mining activities hence their support for the programme.
The event was attended by Assembly members, traditional authorities, teachers, parents and farmers.
Source: Ghana/Myjoyonline