Kuapa Kokoo Limited launches anti-child labour campaign

Kumasi, Nov. 17, GNA - Kuapa Kokoo Limited (KKL), a licensed cocoa buying company, has planned to inject about US$478,000 in support of the campaign to remove worst forms of child labour in cocoa growing communities within the next three years.

Already it has spent US$500,000 to aid the national campaign, Mr Kwasi Aduse-Poku, the Managing Director, said on Wednesday in Kumasi. He said this involved awareness creation, building the capacity of campaigners and providing logistics in the form of vehicles, motor bikes and bicycles towards the programme.

Mr Aduse-Poku said this at the launch of the company's anti-child labour drive in Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Western, Eastern and the Central regions in Kumasi.

The event, he said, demonstrated KKL's determination to partner Government and other stakeholders to effectively tackle the problem. This is to help prevent a boycott of the country's cocoa by international consumers.

He invited all stakeholders including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to join in the campaign. Mr Aduse-Poku used the occasion to underline the company's commitment to work with farmers to enable Ghana achieve the cocoa production target of 1,000,000 metric tons it has set for 2012.

Their mission, he said, was to develop the company into a formidable farmer-based organization for production of quality cocoa beans and cocoa products to improve the livelihood of farmers and satisfy consumers. Mr Joseph Nabin, Coordinator of the programme, said there was the need to step up education of the people and make sure that children were put in schools.

Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the interventions made by various NGOS, institutions and ministries to aid the fight against child labour.