Veep condemns exploitation of child labour by parents

Aburi (E/R), Oct. 14, GNA- Vice President Aliu Mahama at the weekend lashed at parents who exploit the labour of their children for immediate financial gains instead of taking advantage of the liberal education policy of Government to send their children to school. He said the national School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant had given parents and guardians some financial respite and expressed worry that some children of school going age were been forced to take up menial jobs to provide additional income to the family budget.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama was speaking at Aburi in the Eastern Region, where he joined the chiefs and people in the Akuapem Anafo Traditional Area to celebrate this year's annual Odwira festival. He said some children also refuse to go to school and rather preferred to engage in petty trading, truancy among other things at times: "Beyond the caring eyes of their teachers and guardians." "We cannot attain the Millennium Development Goals when we fail to develop our human resource capacity," he cautioned. Vice President Alhaji Mahama called on traditional authorities to endeavour to settle all chieftaincy and land disputes in the area without delay to facilitate development.

He mentioned specifically the Adamorabe chieftaincy and land dispute as well as the Nsakye land feud.

"I say this because peace, stability and unity are prerequisites for development. Ghana is a peaceful haven in the Sub-Region and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that we live in harmony among ourselves and with our neighbours," he said.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama said the completion of the Aburi Craft Village being funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiative would soften the grounds for local artisans to assess the 50 million- dollar Micro Credit and Small Loans Fund launched by President John Agyekum Kufuor in Accra.

The festival being celebrated on the theme: "Tourism Promotion- A Tool for National Development," is used as a period for spiritual purification and cleansing and the symbolic washing of the "Black Stool", the symbol of traditional authority.

Mr Magnus Opare Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Member of Parliament for Aburi called for unity of purpose to facilitate the development of the area.

Nana Djan Kwasi II, Chief of Aburi and Paramount Chief of the Traditional Area expressed worry about the delay of works on the Nsawam-Aburi road.

He said the Aburi Botanic Gardens, which was one major tourist attraction in the area had not witnessed any rehabilitation. Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive of Ghana at 50 Secretariat said the Aburi Gardens would be given a facelift to facilitate the Golden Jubilee celebration.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama earlier on paid a visit to Adonten Senior Secondary School, at Aburi where he expressed shock at the deplorable state of the school and pledged his assistance to improve on the facilities. 14 Oct. 06