More children continue to engage in hazardous labour - NGO

Accra, March 3, GNA - Professor James Annorbah-Sarpei, Executive Director of Centre for Community Studies, Action and Development (CENCOSAD), on Thursday said about five million working children in the country were engaged in dangerous child labour.

He mentioned the hazardous labour as stone quarrying, fishing on the Volta Lake, prostitution and child trafficking.

Prof Annorbah-Sarpei was speaking at a sensitisation programme organised by CENCOSAD for stakeholders on child labour issues in Accra. The meeting that brought 74 child-advocacy groups together was to build capacity of children for awareness creation and advocacy in the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metropolitan Area.

Prof Annorbah-Sarpei said the programme was to empower children in the area to be effective in their advocacy about child labour. He said the positive effect of the deliberations was to help the youth, who had been involved in child labour, to be transformed from their precarious situation.

Ms Angela Amuachie, Projector Coordinator of SCLIT, an NGO, said CENCOSAD was going to use public performances by children through interactive theatre and the media.

She said the Centre would also assist the children to educate their peers, parents, guardians and teachers about the risks and vulnerability as well as unacceptable labour practices.