Mining affects education in Wassa District – DCE

Mr Anthony Aggrey, Wassa East District Chief Executive, has noted that minors engaged in alluvial small-scale mining in the district, is a major social challenge,   depriving most children of quality education.

He said the children had abandoned the classroom and engaged by alluvial miners in the Pra River.

He, therefore, appealed to the traditional authorities, assembly members, parents and other stakeholders in the area to work conscientiously towards stamping out child labour.

Mr Aggrey made the observation at a durbar held at Sekyere-Krobo in the Wassa East of the Western Region, to commemorate the Africa Union Day of the African Child, which coincided with the World Day against Child Labour.

The event was jointly organised by the district assembly, World Vision Ghana and Ghana Education Service.

Ghana joined the global community to celebrate the Day on the theme:”Ghana, take action now, Say No to child labour in domestic work.”

The district celebration was held on the theme:”Eliminating harmful cultural and social practices, our shared responsibility.”

Mr Aggrey asked the citizenry to contribute their quota to ensure that children are safe, healthy and well educated for a better future.

There are more than 200 million children around the world engaged in child labour without education and are malnourished.

He said the government is working on a Child Protection Policy to protect the rights of children against sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse.

Mr Aggrey noted that one way of combating child labour is by educating children to acquire skilled labour and work to earn income in order to reduce poverty.

In a speech read on his behalf, the District Director of Education, Mr Yakubu Adam said the occasion affords the government, international institutions and communities to renew their commitments towards improving the plight of marginalised and vulnerable children.

It is also aimed at creating awareness of child labour among the citizenry.

He said child abuse impacts negatively on children’s health, emotions and mental faculty and entreated Ghanaians to combat child abuse.

There was poetry recital from pupils selected from basic schools in the district.

Source: GNA