The Ada East District Directorate of Social Welfare and Community Development has expressed concern over the increasing incidence of child labour in the district, revealing that 43 cases were recorded between January and May 2026.

Mr Enoch Addy Bampoe, the Ada East District Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) as part of activities marking the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour.

According to him, the recorded cases involved children engaged in hazardous activities such as fishing, salt winning, and street hawking in various communities across the district.

He called on parents, employers, traditional authorities, and community leaders to intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of child labour, warning that the practice continues to deprive children of their right to education and exposes them to numerous risks.

“Child labour is not training; it is exploitation. When a 10-year-old child spends all day in a canoe or carrying heavy loads of salt instead of being in school, we are stealing that child’s future,” Mr Bampoe stated.

He disclosed that most of the recorded cases involved children between the ages of eight and 14, particularly in fishing communities along the Volta Estuary and salt-producing areas around the Songor Lagoon.

Mr Bampoe said the district had intensified public education and community engagement programmes aimed at discouraging child labour and promoting school attendance among children.

He urged parents to prioritise the education and welfare of their children and to avoid exposing them to activities that could endanger their health, safety, and future development.

Meanwhile, the Ada East District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Madam Faustina Blewusi, explained that denying children access to education and exposing them to hazardous work constituted a violation of their fundamental rights.

She noted that while children may assist with light household chores, they should not be involved in activities that jeopardise their safety, education, or health.

According to her, many children in the district continue to miss school to participate in fishing expeditions, farm work, and trading activities in local markets.

“Every Tuesday and Friday, you will find children carrying goods and selling in markets while their colleagues are in classrooms. If a child spends two out of five school days selling, can that child compete academically with one who attends school regularly? Certainly not,” she said.

Madam Blewusi urged parents and guardians to take immediate steps to curb child labour, stressing that its effects could have lifelong consequences for affected children.

The World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12 to raise awareness about the plight of children engaged in labour and to promote actions aimed at eliminating the practice.

This year’s observance was held on the theme: “Act Now: End Child Labour!”