WVG, NCCE Hold Child Parliament

The Atebubu-Amantin municipal office of the National Commission for Civic Education with support from World Vision Ghana has held a day’s mock parliamentary session for school children in Atebubu.

The pupils numbering about 50 had earlier undergone a two day orientation on child labor and child marriage, two issues that hinder the well-being of children. They were also taken through the functions of parliament as well as its standing orders and code of ethics.

According to the municipal director of the NCCE Mr. Patrick Tampugre, the exercise was aimed at equipping the children selected from various communities within the municipality with advocacy skills in order for them to take up issues on the two topics with their peers and parents to ensure a reduction in their incidence.

The pupils identified poverty, irresponsible parents, broken homes and outmoded customary practices among others as issues fueling child labor and child marriage.

On the effects, they came up with the loss of educational opportunities and a bleak future among others while they called for public education on the two issues, the strengthening of institutions that deal with children like the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development and the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice to be able to better deliver their mandate.

The formally dressed pupils following standard parliamentary procedures discussed the causes, effects and possible solutions to child marriage and child labor.

In his closing remarks, a representative of World Vision Ghana Mr. Michael Clottey praised the pupils for their smart turnout and the able manner they handled the topics.

He said his outfit is not only interested in developing communities but also the human resource as well especially children whose wellbeing remains the focus of the international body.

“World Vision appreciates the detrimental effects of child marriage and child labour on children hence our decision to help support these children speak against them” he said expressing his gratitude to the NCCE for a good job done.

Mr. Clottey urged the pupils to take their studies seriously in order to become prominent persons in future.

The children resolved to be ambassadors speaking in their various communities about the adverse effects of child labor and child marriage.

Present were officials from the municipal directorate of the Ghana Education Service as well as some teachers.