A community animation programme on child labour in cocoa producing areas held in ten communities in the Obuasi Municipality has established that most children are involved in major economic activities to the detriment of their schooling.
Farming, trading and artisinal mining are among the economic activities that engage the attention of the children in the ten communities. They are Apitikooko, Odumasi, Dokyiwa, Diawuoso, Pomposo, Adaase, Ntonsua, Mampamhwe, Mamiriwa and Kwabenakwakrom.
The programme which was facilitated by Mr Rexford Asubonteng, the Municipal Labour Officer and Mr Philip Gyasi Afful, Quality Control Officer of Obuasi Office of COCOBOD was under the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC).
Community members used the occasion to appraise themselves on their roles in child labour associated with cocoa production and other child welfare protection issues and came out with local initiatives to deal with the problems.
The communities agreed to undertake periodic sensitization of members, enforce local bye-laws and form farmers groups (Nnoboa) to check the involvement of children in farming activities and other economic ventures.
Addressing the people of Kwabenakwakrom to round off the programme, the Municipal Social Welfare Officer, Mr Emmanuel Akoto-Sarpong said some of the children even suffer physical harm as a result of their participation in those activities.
He pointed out that children constituted the future of the nation and that it behoved all stakeholders to ensure that they were protected from all forms of child labour related activities.
Mr Akoto-Sarpong, who is also the Field Co-ordinator of Child Labour programme in the municipality advised against involving children in excessive and harmful jobs especially on the farm that affect their education.
"Children should be given loving and caring attention that promote the development of healthy personality instead of administering abusive treatment that undermine their proper growth and development," he stressed.
He therefore urged parents, teachers and opinion leaders to intensify efforts at ensuring that all children in their respective communities attended school to develop themselves for future leadership roles in the society.
Mr Akoto-Sarpong indicated that the government was providing school infrastructure, teachers, textbooks and other teaching and learning materials, food, uniforms and scholarships and that; "it is up to parents and guardians to encourage all their children and wards to attend school."