Empowerment Aid, a Non-Governmental Organization based in Accra has organized an awareness raising workshop in Boli, a deprived community in Wa Municipal in Upper West Region on child labour.

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

“Child labour perpetuates poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, population growth and other social problems” –Kailash Satyarthi. About two million children between the ages of five and seventeen are involved in child labour, a Ghana Statistical Service survey has found.

The Upper West Region has 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.

The parents were educated about the importance of education to their children and the nation 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.

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.