The Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North, Hon. Joseph Appiah Boateng, has called for renewed national commitment to eliminating child labour, d
The Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North, Hon. Joseph Appiah Boateng, has called for renewed national commitment to eliminating child labour, describing it as one of the gravest violations of children’s rights and a major obstacle to national development.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament to mark the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour, observed under the theme “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” the MP said worsening economic hardship continues to place immense pressure on families, with children often paying the highest price through the loss of their safety, education, dignity and childhood.
Hon. Boateng noted that child labour remains a global challenge despite ongoing efforts to address it. Citing the International Labour Organization’s 2024 Global Estimates on Child Labour, he stated that approximately 138 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour, including nearly 54 million involved in hazardous work.
He expressed concern that although Ghana has made significant progress through legislative reforms, policy interventions and social protection programmes, child labour remains widespread in sectors such as agriculture, fishing, mining, street hawking and domestic work.
According to him, findings from the 2017/2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey revealed that about 2.5 million Ghanaian children, representing 28 per cent of those aged between 5 and 17 years, were engaged in child labour.
The lawmaker highlighted several forms of child labour prevalent in Ghana, including trafficking, forced labour, commercial sexual exploitation and hazardous work in mining, fishing, quarrying and agriculture. He referenced incidents around the Volta Lake and illegal mining communities as evidence of the continued vulnerability of children to dangerous and exploitative working conditions.
Hon. Boateng acknowledged Ghana’s efforts to combat child labour through the enactment of key legislation such as the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), and the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694). He also pointed to initiatives including the National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Human Trafficking, the National Child Labour Strategic Framework, Child Labour Free Zones, the Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System and social protection programmes such as FCUBE and LEAP.
However, he cautioned that poverty, unemployment, rising living costs, limited educational opportunities, weak social protection systems and inadequate enforcement continue to undermine progress in the fight against child labour.
“Child labour remains a means of survival rather than a choice for many vulnerable families,” he observed, warning that failure to address these challenges would perpetuate cycles of poverty and vulnerability across generations.
The MP stressed that child labour is not merely a legal issue but a reflection of broader socioeconomic inequalities. He called for targeted social interventions, quality education, youth employment opportunities and stronger protections for vulnerable families as part of a comprehensive strategy to eliminate the practice.
He further urged Parliament to strengthen oversight of child protection institutions, support community sensitization efforts, increase investment in education and social welfare services, and improve data collection to support evidence-based policymaking.
Concluding his statement, Hon. Boateng appealed to government institutions, civil society organizations, traditional authorities, parents and citizens to work collectively toward ending child labour in all its forms.
Hon. Boateng told parliamentnews360.com in an interview in Parliament that every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a classroom rather than labour in hazardous conditions. According to him, every child deserves protection, dignity and the freedom to dream and achieve their full potential.
“Let us renew our commitment to building a Ghana where every child is safe, educated and empowered.” He observed.
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