Wamase (Ash), Aug 15, GNA – The Obuasi office of Quality Control Company of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has stepped up public education on child labour in cocoa growing communities to check the involvement of children in hazardous farming activities.

The programme code-named “child labour rallies” is affording the company the opportunity to educate the communities on children’s Act. (Act 560), human trafficking Act (Act 2005), parental responsibilities to the child, cocoa production and child labour, among others.

Cocoa farmers are also sensitized on the acceptable ways of preparing cocoa beans for the market.

Speaking at one of the rallies at Wamase in the Adansi South District, Mr. Samuel Adjei-Boateng, the Obuasi District Officer of the Quality Control Company, urged cocoa farmers to know the limit at which children could help in farming activities.

He said the child’s education was paramount to the nation and that parents should not compromise on that for the sake of their farming and other parental jobs.

Mr. Adjei-Boateng said COCOBOD was committed to the education of children, hence “the organization of these child labour rallies to encourage cocoa farmers to send their children to school”.

Mr. Toku Appiah, the District Officer for Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease Control Unit (CSSUDCU) of COCOBOD said using children for hazardous jobs was as serious as child trafficking.

He said persons involved in child trafficking committed an offence liable on summary conviction to imprisonment not less than five years.