Bolgatanga celebrates World Day Against Child Labour

Bolgatanga July 1, GNA- The Bolgatanga Municipality has celebrated World Day Against Child Labour, with a call on the people to help reduce poverty, which gives rise to the abuse of children in the area. Speaking at a ceremony at Dachio near Bolgatanga to mark the day, Mr. Epsona Harry Ayamga, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), noted that poverty is the root cause of the exploitation of child labour for agricultural and domestic activities.

He assured the people of government's support to reduce poverty through interventions such as the School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, supply of free school uniforms to pupils and the one time payment of the premium for the National Health Insurance Scheme. The MCE commended the International Labour Organisation, for the helpful interventions it is making in combating child labour and said Ghana was committed to fight the problem and give children all the support they needed to develop.

He urged parents and guardians to consider it as a moral obligation to show compassion to children and not engage them to carry out chores that would keep them out of school or adversely affect their health. The chief of the area, Naba Thomas Adongo Akaliga II, appealed to the Municipal Assembly to help the community with portable water.

Mr. Thomas Sulley, Project Co-ordinator of Skills and Entrepreneurship Development Foundation, a non- governmental organisation working in collaboration with the Municipal Assembly to fight child labour, said 250 children were freed from various forms of child labour and enrolled in school.

He said 80 parents were also provided with two goats each to rear, and use the proceeds to cater for the education of their children.