According to a recent survey conducted by the Minerals Commission, the Child Labour Unit of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, and other child-related agencies in mining communities, it has been revealed that teenage girls are giving birth to children with severe deformities as a result of exposure to dangerous chemicals.
In anticipation of the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, Mrs Bernice Botchway, the Senior Officer for Gender and International Affairs at the Minerals Commission, expressed her concerns about the changing nature of child labor. She emphasized that children are now working under extremely hazardous conditions not only to support themselves but also to take care of their sick parents and entire families.
Mrs Botchway stated that this trend makes it increasingly difficult for Ghana to meet the global deadline of eradicating all forms of child labor by 2025. As the Chairperson of the Mobilization, Communication, and Advocacy Committee on Child Labour.
She identified a lack of awareness, ineffective policy implementation, and poverty as the primary obstacles hindering progress in eliminating child labor.
She emphasized the importance of those in positions of authority acknowledging the prevalence of this issue and not turning a blind eye to it. Mrs Botchway stressed that child labor not only hampers national development but also compromises the protection and well-being of children, who represent the future workforce of the country.
