ILO asks Police to arrest child labour offenders

Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - The International Labour Organisation on Friday called on Ghana Police to act within the law and bring perpetrators of child labour to face the law.

Mrs Sylvia Hinson-Ekong, Director, International Labour Organisation (ILO)/Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) in Ghana, said, "child workers are visible on the streets of major cities in the country, peddling petty items such as dog chains, fruits, confectionery and other forms of merchandise while others are found in the quarries, illegal mines, commercial sexual exploitation, fishing industry and in individual homes serving as house helps", she said.

She said the children are found in slavery, child trafficking and illicit activities throughout the country and the worst form of child labour contravenes the laws of Ghana and the Constitution. These were contained a speech read for her at the opening of a two-day training workshop for 50 Senior Police Officers drawn from Accra, Tema, Criminal Investigations Department and the Police Headquarters to sharpen their skills on child labour and the role of the Police in addressing the situation.

Over 1.2 million children of school going age are still engaged in the worst forms of child labour in Ghana.

She said hazardous and exploitative child labour was a growing problem, which impacted negatively on the children's physical, psychological, emotional, educational and social development. Mrs Hinson-Ekong noted that though poverty had been identified as the cause of child labour but it should not necessarily give rise to child labour.

Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, Deputy Inspector General of Police, who opened the workshop, said working children lose the opportunity for good home environment and consistent formal education, social guidance, adequate and regular meals and health care.

She said with the right education on child labour, the Police would be able to deal with such cases efficiently.