Empowerment Aid, a Non-Governmental Organization based in Accra, has organized an awareness raising workshop in Bole, a deprive community in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region on child labour.

Child labour refers to a work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, which is harmful to physical and mental development of the child.

“Child labour perpetuates poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, population growth and other social problems”. Kailash Satyarthi has said.

According to a survey done by the Ghana Statistical Service, about two million children between the ages of Five and Seventeen are involved in child labour, where the Upper West Region had the highest percentage of children engaging in child labour.

Ms. Esther Pokuaa Amofa, Executive Director of Empowerment Aid (NGO), said the education on Child Labour project, being undertaken by her outfit, was to promote child rights and education.

Parents were also educated on the importance of education to children and the nation at large, and were urged to guide their children from engaging in any labour activity.

Mr. Richard Opoku who is the project coordinator of Empowerment Aid (NGO) explained the effects of Child Labour to the participants and called for a national dialogue to end child labour in the country.

He urges government, Civil Society Groups, Media and other organizations to educate people, especially parents who employ children to do hazardous job to stop such attitude and called for severe punishment to those who violate rights of children.

The NGO donated clothing, bags and shoes to the participants in order to enhance their living.

Story: Odiyifo Yaw Charles

 

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