The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ahafo Ano District of the Ashanti Region has challenged parents to work hard to root out issues of child labour and abuse in the Ghanaian society.
Martina Appiah-Nyantakyi said the government’s agenda of providing a bright future for Ghana’s children cannot be complete if parents do not put an end to all forms of child labour.
“I sometimes meet children selling in the market and when you interview them they tell you their parents asked them to go and sell rather than going to school. This is not good,” she lamented.
“Thanks to the government’s Free senior high school educational policy, the children can be whatever they dream and parents no longer have an excuse to keep these children home,” she added.
Appiah-Nyantakyi disclosed this at a ceremony organised by Right To Play Ghana and Mondelez Cocoa Life on Wednesday at Mamfo to mark the World Children’s Day.
On his part, Divisional Crime Officer Superintendent J. K. Adotey charged parents to report any act of abuse meted out to their children or any children within the community.
“In the name of punishment a parent will use a blade or knife to harm their children. When we are celebrating this day it is in a bid to avoid all forms of harm done against children and for us to begin to treat children as important constituents of our society,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Ghana Country Director of Right To Play, Josephine Mukakalisa, Field Facilitator, Julius Tsatsu said the organisation has succeeded in reducing issues of child labour and abuse in the communities they operate by working with the various Community Child Protection Committees (CCPCs).
“We have empowered the CCPCs in collaboration with World Vision to work hard in ending all forms of abuse and child labour,” he said.
Mr Tsatsu said Right To Play Ghana has also facilitated the setting up of Children’s Club to educate pupils and community members about their rights and obligations.
He was emphatic the global organisation will work with Ghana Government and other partners to bolster the confidence of Ghanaian children.