Ghana’s Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has pledged an unwavering commitment to eliminating child labour, describing it as a “developmental emergency” that must be urgently addressed with bold, results-driven actions.
Speaking in Accra at the national launch of the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour, Dr Pelpuo called for collective national resolve, noting that despite existing laws and interventions, approximately two million children—28% of the child population—remain trapped in child labour, according to the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census.
“What we need now are not more policies, but real, practical solutions,” Dr Pelpuo said. “We cannot allow poverty to continue being used as an excuse for robbing our children of their future.”
He stressed the alarming presence of children in hazardous sectors such as agriculture, fishing, and domestic work, stating that Ghana’s cocoa industry, in particular, must lead by example in rejecting child exploitation.
While acknowledging progress made through initiatives such as the Ghana School Feeding Programme, LEAP, the Cocoa Enhancement Programme, and various child-focused education schemes, Dr Pelpuo emphasized that much more remains to be done to accelerate change.
“We are being watched by the world, and more importantly, by our own children. We owe it to them to create a future where they are students, not labourers,” he declared.
Representing the Ghana Employers’ Association, Madam Peninnah Adjoa Akuffo reaffirmed the private sector’s role in creating child-labour-free workplaces and advancing decent work practices. She stressed the association’s commitment to advocacy, capacity-building, and awareness campaigns.
“The future of our nation rests on how we treat our children today,” she said.
With the theme for this year’s commemoration serving as both a reminder and a challenge, Dr Pelpuo concluded with a strong call to action: “We are not just observing a day. We are renewing a national promise—to end child labour once and for all.”
