Samuel Darko-Duodu writes of the realities of child labour in Ghana and makes concrete proposals for the reduction of its destructive effects on Ghana's children.
Samuel Darko-Duodu writes of the realities of child labour in Ghana and makes concrete proposals for the reduction of its destructive effects on Ghana's children.
CHILD LABOUR
Child labour is common in the whole world. In Ghana, children of school going ages are seen selling bagged water, sweets , dog chains , apples and other available things on our roads. Others at bus stations busy selling their produce to travelers on the bus. At the Makola market, one of the biggest markets in Accra, these minors are commonly seen selling all sorts of goods to the consuming public.
These things are not only seen in Accra but in our small villages and urban centers where children are made to carry water from one village to the other. Others are made to work for the whole day.
In all this what does the law say about child labour? The law states that minors are not eligible to take part in any physical tiring, hard manual work, paid or unpaid especially at the expense of their studies. As these laws are not enforced, they are mostly violated by people.
What is child labour then?, Child labour refers to the act of making a minor (some one below the age of eighteen) who is legible to go to school work generally at expense of his or her education side by side their education. Child labour is very common in Ghana. It has come to stay and is regarded as a normal thing.
The rights and future of many children have been abused because of negligence of the law. Many parents have taken the law into their hands by pushing their children unto the streets to sell. Others sell after school to pay their own fees. Such children are sacked from school when they have not paid for their fees. These children do risk selling in the scorching sun, deep into the night or right in the middle of the road.
Another problem is single parenthood. Men who divorce their wives leaving their children with the women normally endanger the lives of their children. Since the woman can not take care of the children, they tend to push them to other people's home as house helps. These house helps are the first to wake up and the last to go to bed because every work in the house is for them. They neither have time to rest nor sleep. Sometimes they are not paid well. Step children are forced to work like slaves by their step mothers, this usually puts the education of these children at risk since they have no time to study.
Village children's, who seek for greener pastures run from the villages to the cities and they indulge themselves in any kind of work. Like potters, shoe shine boys and eventually some turn themselves into armed robbers , pick-pockets and etc.
Children of school going ages in the villages are seen farming on large plantations, others crack stones and others also take their fathers flock of sheep or herd of cattle to graze at far places instead of being in school.
These are few of the many ways by which child labour is seen in Ghana. It is common because the law is not effective. Those who even make these laws, disobey them.
What can be done about this? The law should be enforced on every citizen of Ghana that children below the age of eighteen should not engage in manual work paid or unpaid. Again, non governmental organisations (NGOs) should be set up to care of children without parents and who indulge in difficult jobs. Another NGO must be set up to see to the welfare of house helps so that any house help who is sent to any one's home must be educated up to the Junior Secondary School level.
The Commission on Human Right and Administration Justice (CHRAJ) An institution set up by the government of Ghana to protect fundamental human rights and freedom of all people in Ghana and to protect children from being abused or used labourers when they have not reach the age of working. Punishment should be rendered to offenders and law breakers of this crime against humanity.
A national education policy should be established for all children of school going ages. The first president of Ghana established this policy of compulsory education for children of school going ages but it died out. This law must be re-enforced.
SAMUEL DARKO-DUODU
SCHOOL:WEST AFRICA SECONDARY SCHOOL
SUPERVISING TEACHER:WILLIAM HAIZEL-COBBINA
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