The Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) for Offinso North, Mr. Daniel Owusu, has called for intensified national efforts to eradicate child labour across Ghana.
Speaking at the municipal launch of the World Day Against Child Labour at Nkwankwa, a farming community, Mr. Owusu raised alarm over the scale of the problem and urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to ending the practice.
He noted that thousands of children in the municipality are involved in child labour, often under hazardous conditions in sectors such as agriculture, domestic service, and informal employment.
“Child labour remains one of the most pressing developmental challenges confronting our municipality,” he said. While acknowledging poverty as a root cause, Mr. Owusu stressed that Ghana already has the laws, policies, and programmes required to address the issue — what is lacking, he implied, is more decisive action and coordination.
Under this year’s global theme, “Progress is clear, but there is more to do. Let’s speed up,” Mr. Owusu outlined key measures the Municipal Assembly is pursuing. These include stronger legal enforcement, increased inspections and sanctions, and expanded access to quality education.
Municipal Director of Education, Mr. Martin Addo Fordwour, urged teachers and parents to work together to combat child labour, stating, “The elimination or reduction of child labour is very key to this exercise.”
He announced that a municipality-wide education campaign would soon be rolled out to raise public awareness of the harmful effects of child labour.
Also addressing the gathering, the Municipal Director of Social Welfare, Mr. Gideon Osei-Poku, acknowledged that despite government efforts to uphold children’s rights, many children aged 5 to 17 remain trapped in hazardous work.
He appealed to the youth to avoid drug use and risky behaviours, warning that such choices could ruin their lives. He further encouraged communities to cooperate with law enforcement and the Department of Social Welfare to fight the menace.
Mr. Osei-Poku revealed that plans are underway to establish special community committees that will work closely with social welfare officers and security agencies to monitor, report, and address child labour cases at the grassroots level.
