Mr Danuda Ibrahim Braimah, the Acting Chief Labour Officer at the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, has called on the citizenry and stakeholders to protect children against any exploitation and danger that can affect their future.
He made the call when the Labour Department and its partners commemorated this year’s World Day Against Child Labour at Bibiani in the Western North Region.
It was on the theme: “Progress is clear, but there is more to do: Let’s speed up.”
Mr Braimah described child labour as a participation of children in economic and non-economic activities that affected their education, health, and physical development.
He, therefore , appealed to residents in areas where the situation was prevalent to assist in providing information on parents who engaged their children in the act for the necessary action against them.
He said the government had initiated significant social protection programmes aimed at addressing the root causes of child labour, which included providing support for affected children and families.
He mentioned the introduction of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, Livelihood Employment Against Poverty (LEAP), and the Ghana School Feeding Programme as some of the interventions implemented to provide essential support for vulnerable families, enabling them to meet their basic needs without resorting to child labour as means of survival.
Mr Sulemana Ali, the Chief Director of the Western North Regional Coordinating Council, who represented the Regional Minister, expressed his commitment to supporting the fight against child labour in the region, especially in the cocoa growing and mining areas within the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality.
He commended development partners, including local and international NGOs, United Nations agencies, community-based organisations, and the private sector contributors for their unwavering support in helping to reduce the menace.
He pledged to champion multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure the district assemblies, traditional authorities, community leaders, and NGOs worked effectively with the law enforcement agencies and relevant bodies to prevent, identify and respond to child labour cases within the region.
Nana Kojo Somiah II, the Chief of Sefwi Ntakam and Akonmahene of Sefwi Traditional Area, who chaired the programme thanked the organisers for hosting the 2025 National World Day Against Child Labour at Bibiani.
He underscored the need for traditional authorities and community leaders to join hands in the fight against child labour in the various communities.
Selected schools like Methodist Primary, Community Junior High School (JHS), Anglican JHS, and Catholic JHS received sanitary pads and learning materials as part of the event.