Accra, Aug. 20, GNA - Ghanaian children at a forum on Tuesday called on the government, child rights advocates and all stakeholders to redouble their efforts to eliminate all forms of child labour that continues to endanger their health, safety and morals.

The children said because there is no cause which merits a higher priority than the protection and development of children, all stakeholders should join in the crusade to make the environment a safe place where all their rights would be respected.

More than 45 children selected from various backgrounds all over the country made the call at a three-day policy development forum being organised by the Ministries of Women and Children's Affairs and Manpower Development and Employment, in collaboration with ILO-IPEC in Accra.

The forum would enable organisers to collate views and ideas from the children who are the main stakeholders on issues that affect them to help in the formulation of a policy framework on child labour. Master Samuel Kissi, who spoke on behalf of the children, expressed regret that poverty continues to be used as an excuse to maintain child labour, even in the worst forms in contravention of the Children's Act 560 of 1998.

For instance, the Act forbids hazardous work, such as going to sea, mining, quarrying, carrying heavy loads and working in places such as bars, hotels and places of entertainment where a child could be exposed to immoral behaviour.

"But all these were being perpetuated with the law enforcers doing little or nothing at all about it."

Master Kissi called for existing provisions or laws, especially on child trafficking be enforced before new ones were added to them. He said as a way of reducing the problem of exploitative labour, well-targeted efforts at getting all children in school must be explored.

Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs in a speech read for her by Mr Kwaku Ahin-Sam, a Director at the Ministry described the issue of child trafficking and labour as very disturbing to the government.

She said the issue was being addressed through the government's policy of economic empowerment of parents to enable them to play their role effectively.

She said a national gender and child policy, which could be accessed on the government's official website has been drafted to mainstream gender concerns in the nation's development process to improve the conditions of life for all Ghanaians and to promote and enhance children's survival, protection and development.

Mrs Asmah advised children to cherish the qualities of honesty, hard work and morality, which are the main values of society. She advised them to be careful of peer influences, and rather respect their teachers, and to acquire and build upon the achievement of their predecessors.

Mrs. Sylvia Hinson Ekong, National Programmes Manager of ILO-IPEC said over 1.27 million children are in child labour in the country and that her organisation is collaborating with all stakeholders to send them back to school enable them to have a better future. She said IPEC has worked with the Ghana Education Service to develop appropriate curriculum and methodologies for mainstreaming ex-child workers into formal schools and vocation centres. She said the ILO Minimum Age Convention 138, the basic instrument on child labour aimed at all forms of child labour is currently before Parliament which, when ratified, would ensure the effective abolition of child labour.