August 9, 2007 (Modern Ghana) Ghana Government has embarked on a long-term project to completely eliminate child labor on cocoa farms in all the 46 cocoa producing districts of the country by July 2011. Mrs Joana Annan, of the Department of Child Labor at the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, announced this yesterday at a day's workshop at Cape Coast in the Central Region, to sensitize cocoa farmers and other stakeholders on the harmful effects of engaging children as farmhands.

She explained that the practice, denied such children education, or did not allow them the full benefits of school when they attempted to combine education with heavy work for long hours.

Mrs Annan defined child labor as work performed by persons below the age of 18, which deprived such persons of basic human rights and was abusive, hazardous, exploitative and harmful to the health, safety and development of the kids.

She noted, however, that children between 13 and 15 years could be occupied to assist in light work on the farms but not at the expense of their education and cautioned that such children should not be made to undertake risky jobs that could cause injury.

Mrs Annan urged the farmers to avoid all forms of child labor to ensure the survival and proper development of children to enable them to grow into responsible citizens. She also cautioned them against using trafficked children on their farms and stated that anybody found culpable, would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

In a welcoming address, Mr Peter Dery, Municipal Coordinating Director, underscored the importance of the workshop and advised the participants to impart the knowledge they had acquired to others.

Police personnel, representatives of NGO's and personnel from CHRAJ, Ghana Education Service and the Department of Social Welfare, as well as assembly members attended the workshop.

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