Child Protection Committee inaugurated… For Ahafo Ano North District

A six-member Ahafo Ano North District Child Protection Committee, headed by the local Social Welfare Officer, Mr. Anthony Obeng, has been inaugurated at Tepa to supervise community child protection set ups with the aim of reducing the practice of child labour in the cocoa industry.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. David Amankwa, said at the inauguration, that about 47 cocoa districts out of the 64 were expected to be covered by the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa at the close of the year.

He urged members of the community child protection units to work hard towards achieving the objective of the project.

Mr. Amankwa presented eight bicycles and motorbike to the various communities to ensure effective supervision of the programme.

The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Annin Yeboah, reminded members of local child protection units of the need to work towards guarding against a possible ban on Ghana's cocoa from the international market due to prevalent child labour, and called on the various communities to monitor the project.

The District Planning Officer, Mr. Ted Oppong, indicated that child labour in cocoa farms was expected to reduce by 2011, following the creation of awareness and education of stakeholders.

According to him, the committee would collaborate with chiefs and opinion leaders to formulate regulations to champion the cause of reducing or eliminating child labour in the cocoa industry in the district.