Kumasi, July 14. GNA – The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for the development and implementation of practical policy initiatives to help provide income generating opportunities for Ghanaians.
This, the TUC said, would help promote alternative livelihoods for people and reduce forced labour and modern-day slavery, which had become a global concern.
Dr Kennedy Achakomah, the Head of Training and Education at TUC, said practical and viable rural development programmes such as land reforms, micro credit schemes, fairer leasing arrangements and access to local education and healthcare, could help create jobs and income opportunities for many people.
He was speaking at a two-day training workshop on modern day slavery and forced labour for Labour Inspectors in the Ashanti region.
The workshop, which was organized by the TUC, aimed at sensitizing, educating and familiarizing the inspectors on issues of modern slavery and child labour.
It was also to discuss guidelines and training manual on forced labour and modern-day slavery, which the TUC developed for trade union education.
Dr Achakomah said modern day slavery, which affected millions of people, had become a global issue and gained a lot of prominence.
Globally, 160 million children aged between five and 17 years are in child labour, out of which 79 million are in hazardous work.
Additionally, in 2016, it was estimated that 40.3 million people were in modern slavery.
This comprised of 24.9 million victims in forced labour and 15.4 in forced marriages.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence rate and the highest forms of child labour due to poverty, conflict, forced marriages and inequalities.
Dr Achakomah called for collective efforts to prevent employment of children, while campaigning to promote the concept of integrated area – based approaches towards the creation of child labour free zones in the country.
Madam Alberta Laryea-Djan, the Head, Gender and Child Protection Department of TUC, said TUC had in the past years paid attention to child labour, especially because of how serious it was.
This, she said, could improve access to justice for children in modern day slavery.
She pledged the TUC’s continued and consistent sensitization of child labour issues and modern-day slavery, since every child had the right to education and a comfortable life.
Source: Ghana News Agency
