Union denies it did not back TUC demonstration

Accra, Sept. 29, GNA - The Construction and Building Material Workers Union (CBMWU) of the Trades Union Congress on Sunday, said it took part in last week's TUC-led protest march against some aspects of the National Health Insurance Scheme and that it did not back out as alleged by a section of the electronic media.

"CBMWU was an active participant in all the discussions and decisions and participated fully in the mass demonstration, and at no time and at no where did the union consider or decide to back out," the union said in a statement signed by Mr P.M.K. Quainoo, General Secretary.

The Union said reports by two radio stations in Accra and Tema that it backed out was not correct, "unfounded, mischievous and calculated to break the ranks of organized labour."

The statement said the report by the two stations had dented the Union's reputation and "tarnished the good will enjoyed from the publics it served".

It explained that the Union used its structures and leaders to reach all members, urging them to participate in the demonstration and that construction firms were encouraged to release the workers to join their colleagues.

The statement recalled an occasion in the Volta Region where it said the Secretary-General addressed a forum of workers, including construction workers, which resolved to take part in the demonstration. It said reports from the regions indicated that construction workers turned out in their numbers.

"In a global world and in Ghana, construction workers are among the most vulnerable group, as the industry has been attracting over 30 percent of injury and fatality rates."

It advised the media to aid the process of consensus building among competing interests of social partners.

"But using the media to dent the reputation of other partners other than government is the worse disservice that any media house could do to mother Ghana."

Red Card Child Labour and Trafficking

A GNA Feature by Francis Ameyibor

Accra, Sept. 29, GNA - The streets of Accra and other major cities in the country are dotted with children, who engage in the sale of iced water, electrical gadgets, foodstuffs and anything saleable. These children are daily exposed to near death, injuries, and other accidental consequences as they run after, between and in front of vehicles.

Generally, children have been working in the country throughout the ages as integral part of the socialization process.

Thus, from the age of about four years children assist in domestic chores in the home environment where they are cared for and loved. They combined light work at home with going to school and assisting with the family business after school or during holidays.

As they got older, they took on light jobs or learnt valuable traditional trade, from which they acquired useful skills, knowledge and attitude for the future.

Light work carefully monitored and regulated is good for socialization and full development of children.

Unfortunately, this age-old traditional social system is under severe abuse by the adult population. The adults are introducing young ones to hazardous work that is detrimental to their interest and society.

Many occupations have some tasks or situations that are hazardous. For example weeding an hour a day may not pose any risk to children but weeding just after the application of pesticides could be hazardous. Characteristically, children are not to be involved in any work that is harmful and detrimental to their full and holistic development; the nature of which and intensity may be harmful to their health and welfare, or that seeks to remove them from school or interferes with their schooling.

Works that negatively affect children, physically, psychologically or emotionally and morally are unacceptable.

CHILDREN'S ACT

According to Ms Elizabeth Hagan, Head of Child Labour Unit (CLU), the solution lies with the enforcement of the Children's Act of 1998 (Act. 560), which seeks to consolidate existing laws on Children's Rights and Protection in the country and also to bring them into conformity with current internationally, accepted standards. She said the act prohibits exploitative labour and night work for children while it defines the minimum age for employment of children for light work as 13 years, 15 years for apprenticeship and 18 years for employment in hazardous work.

Ms Hagan told the GNA that any contravention of the provisions constituted an offence, subject to fines up to 10 million cedis, two years imprisonment or both.

She said the Constitution also recognized the child's right and protects him or her from works that that would constitute threats to the child's health, education or development.

CHILD LABOUR AS DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEM

Mrs Sylvia Hinson-Ekong, National Programme Manager, International Labour Organisation and International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC), said child labour is a development issue and called for a concerted effort for its eradication.

"Circumstantial evidence shows that it is a growing problem which impacts negatively on children's physical, emotional, educational and social development," she said.

She identified poverty, as well as adult exploitation of minors as the main cause of child labour. "There is the innocence of children that is exploited and children have been encouraged or coerced into accepting labour and small payment to solve some of their immediate problems."

There is the need for pragmatic efforts by policy makers, civil society and the family unit to fight child labour.

There should also be monitoring mechanism and highlighting of best industrial practices to expose the bad nuts to serve as catalyst for the elimination of child labour.

The publication of laws in local languages and educating parents on the dangers children face in working at the industries, would also help eliminate the danger that Child Labour poses to the future of the country.

Enforcement of employment rules and regulations must also be intensified to eliminate child labour, as children exposed to hazardous work are endangered, and easy recipe for industrial disaster.

CAUSES OF CHILD LABOUR

A GNA survey on causes of Child Labour in the country revealed that, the harsh economic conditions, widespread corruption, inaccessibility to education, high cost of education, unattractive school environment and truancy are some of the reasons for child labour

Others are employers exploiting the weakness in Trade Unions and intentionally employing children to cut down cost. With the breakdown of the traditional family system; peer pressure; hostile family backgrounds and negative cultural practices have also served as grounds for children to indulge in hazardous work.

Irrespective of the causes, the underlining factor is that Child Labour/Trafficking is a criminal offence that calls for urgent measures to arrest and prosecute families that indulge in it to serve as deterrent to others. The harsh economic condition and other excuses are not enough alibis for exposing children that need to be loved and cared for to undergo such inhuman treatment.

The law enforcing agencies and the media should collaborate more to expose the perpetrators.

Ghanaians must begin to address family planning strategies more seriously in the light of the present harsh conditions. Family planning agencies must descend from their ivory towers in the urban centres to the local communities, such as Chorkor, Bukom, Nima, in Accra and other places like Adidome, Obuasi, Tolon, Gushegu and Karaga and other interior towns and villages.

Family planning messages need to be given new tonic that would appeal to the consciousness of Ghanaians especially to people down or below the formal educational ladder.

As empirical evidence indicates that people with low level of education or no education tended to start giving birth very early and have delight in large family sizes.

Generally, early birth without being ready for its responsibilities is a main reason for later pushing children into unwanted work. The days when children were considered as part of the labour force of the family were over! Therefore, the National House of Chiefs, please the little children need you to add your influential voice to calls to end the traditional showering of praises on women who gave birth to a tenth child. Badudwan and Nyonmato must stop!

LEGISLATION ON THE FAMILY SIZE

As a nation the country must begin also to consider legislating on family size - a maximum of three children should be ideal for a couple, make it a criminal offence to give birth for instance under 21 years. Politicians should begin the debate. People who barely can afford a day's meal should not be allowed to continue to produce four, five children without considering their proper upbringing in the name of freedom to procreate.

It may initially seem to be the couple's problem, but with time the whole community and nation share in the effect of population explosion, congestion at schools and other places of social contact.

A stitch in time saves nine so the popular adage goes.