Talensi-Nabdam rescues children engaged in labour

Tongo (UER), June 14, GNA- One hundred and ninety-nine children from 10 communities in the Talensi-Nabdam District have been identified and registered as children involved in the worst forms of child labour. The children engage mainly in surface mining, 'Galamsey', and taking care of animals when they should be at school. Mr Anaba Nabila, the District Chief Executive, said these at the recent celebration of the National World Day Against Child Labour at Tongo, Upper East Region, He announced that the assembly had formed Community Child Labour Committee and a District Child Labour Committee to handle issues concerning child labour and to ensure that children were sent to school. Mr. Nabila expressed worry that many children in the district were engaged in all forms of hazardous work at the expense of their education.

He said that there was hope for such children as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was helping the assembly and AFRIKIDS, a child welfare non-governmental organisation (NGO), in the region, to rescue the children and send them to school. He said that AFRIKIDS had so far rescued 450 children from worst forms of child labour in the district and sent them to school.

Mr. Nabila said "the NGO also supports the children while they are in school, paying fees, providing uniforms, books and other necessities that would encourage the children to remain in school". He called on traditional rulers, parents and guardians to support the assembly to eliminate all forms of child labour from the area. Mr. Nabila said "It will not be justified to use poverty to deny your children education as you have the School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant to take care of them while they are at school". He commended the ILO, AFRIKIDS, Action Aid Ghana and other NGOs working toward the elimination of child labour from the area. Mr. Cletus Anaya, head of Core Projects, AFRIKIDS, said under the NGO's Sunlight Project, 150 children had been withdrawn from surface mining and 119 of the number had been enroled in school while 31 others were undergoing vocational training, all sponsored by AFRIKIDS. He said the project was also engaged in creating awareness on the negative effects of child labour through community meetings, film shows, and drama.

Ms Millicent Dagbin, a 14-year-old girl, who was withdrawn from mining and sent to school, on behalf of her colleagues, appealed to the ILO to continue to support NGO so that more children would be sent to school.