International development organisation World Vision Ghana, in collaboration with the Wa East District Assembly, has launched the district's first-ever Children's Parliament to commemorate the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour.

The initiative, funded primarily by the NGO, aims to amplify the voices of young people against exploitation while addressing systemic educational and socio-economic challenges in rural communities.

Speaking on behalf of World Vision Cluster Manager Sergious Before, World Vision Projects Officer Anthony Armoh-Adu stated that child labour in the district is largely driven by rural poverty and illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.

To address the challenge, he outlined the organisation's interventions, including the construction of mechanised boreholes to help keep young girls in school, the training of Community Child Protection Committees, and the rollout of the "Enough Campaign" to combat child hunger.

The District Chief Executive for Wa East, Adamu Sayibu, officially inaugurated the 50-member House and commended the project's funders for their significant developmental contributions to the district.

He highlighted the NGO's recent distribution of more than 3,000 Vitamin A tablets to local health facilities and its climate-smart agriculture training programme, which has benefited 857 farmers.

Touching on government interventions, the DCE announced the upgrading of Loggu Senior High School to boarding status and the introduction of the "One Million Coders" programme to equip local youth with digital skills.

Despite these efforts, achieving quality education remains a major challenge. The District Director of Education, Yahaya Mumuni Abdul-Raman, identified poor road networks, severe infrastructure deficits, and inadequate teacher motivation as key barriers preventing children from reaching their full potential.

Abdul-Raman lamented that the lack of decent teacher accommodation and adequate teaching and learning materials contributes to chronic absenteeism and ultimately pushes vulnerable children into hazardous labour.

Representing the District Coordinating Director, Abukari Alidu Abdulrazak, the Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, Clement Mol, called for the strict enforcement of community by-laws to protect children.

Emphasising the national values of freedom and justice, he urged parents, traditional leaders, and teachers to actively shield children from exploitation and invest in their education.

Delivering an address on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Mr. Mol stressed that the responsibility of child protection cannot rest on a single institution.

He noted that child labour deprives children of education, affects their physical and emotional development, and exposes them to abuse and neglect.

He therefore called on a broad coalition of stakeholders—including parents, traditional leaders, teachers, and faith-based organisations—to work together to identify at-risk children and support vulnerable households.

Appealing directly to traditional authorities, he requested their continued support in enforcing community by-laws and promoting cultural values that prioritise child protection.

The newly formed Parliament is structured to mirror national democratic institutions, comprising a Speaker, Majority and Minority Caucuses, a Clerk's Directorate, and a Marshal.

Lead Trainer James Baba Anabiga explained that the platform was established to empower children to effectively articulate their concerns and challenges directly to stakeholders.

The training is already yielding positive results among the student parliamentarians. Majority Leader Abdul Suglo Zakiu noted that the platform has significantly boosted the confidence of his peers.

"It enables us, as children, to speak confidently in public," he said.

Echoing this sentiment, Minority Leader Sakara Mercy stated that the parliamentary sittings help students overcome their fears and teach them to "respect each other's views in the chamber."

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World Vision partners with Wa East Assembly to establish Children Parliament against child labour

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