Eric Okrah, a representative of UNICEF, Ghana, has said eliminating hazardous child labour could be daunting especially when agriculture was the dominant economic activity with persistent poverty and food security compounding the problem. He therefore called on government and society at large to safeguard the future of these children by highlighting the perilous dangers involved in child labour. Mr Okrah was speaking at the sixth national World Day Against Child Labour at Kpando under the theme, "The Future Harvest: Agriculture Without Child Labour". He said with the right attitude, enforcement of appropriate legislation and commitment of resources "I believe we can reduce and even eliminate the risks and hazards children face in agriculture". Mr Okrah said a survey by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2003 indicated that 57 percent of working children who were sampled worked in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors with the worldwide figure dipping by 11 percent between 2000 and 2004 from 246 million to 218 million. Regrettably, he said, sub-Saharan Africa was the only that experienced an increase in child labour from 48 million to 49.3 million between 2000 and 2004. Mr Okrah said these children were obliged to work long hours, use sharp tools designed for adults, carry heavy loads, which does not commensurate with their age, operate dangerous machinery and pesticides. He said their inability to attend school or skill training was limited and the possibility of economic, social mobility and advancement in later life are negatively affected. Source: GNA