Regional News of Friday, 7 March 2008

Source: GNA

NCCE Director expresses concern about child labour

Twifo Praso (C/R), March. 7, GNA- Mr Thomas Yallow, Twifo-Heman-Lower-Denkyira District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Thursday stated that, inspite of the numerous educational campaigns embarked upon by the government to sensitize the public on the effects of child labour, some parents were still engaged in it.

He said it was an offence punishable by law to practice any form of child labour and stressed that anyone who infringes upon the law would be liable to prosecution.

Mr Yallow said this at the launch of an outreach programme on child labour at Twifo- Adugyaa in the Twifo-Heman-Lower-Denkyira district. He said the programme, which is on going, would cover more than fifty communities in the districts and that it was to educate them on the child labour law and the effects of it. The NCCE Director pointed out that due to the lack of parental care some children were forced to migrate to cities for non-existing jobs and only end up on the streets and are abused, with some of them becoming child prostitutes and labourers.

He therefore appealed to parents to provide their children, who serve as apprentices in various vocational works with the necessary tools to enable them to become responsible citizens. Mr Yallow urged farmers in the area to take advantage of the government's schools feeding programme and the Capitation grant and send their children to school. 7 March. 08