News
Journalists Brainstorm Issues of Child Labour on Cocoa Farms
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In a quiet conference room nestled within Royal Lee’s Hotel, the voices of Ghana’s newsroom leaders echoed with renewed purpose. They had gathered not just to share editorial strategies, but to confront a haunting reality: the persistent shadow of child labour and forced labour in the cocoa fields that fuel Ghana’s global reputation.
The two-day workshop, held on October 2–3, was spearheaded by the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), a leading organisation committed to protecting children in cocoa-growing communities across West Africa. The event, dubbed ‘News Editors’ Experience Sharing’, was more than a professional gathering—it was a call to conscience.
For many participants, the discussions stirred memories of children seen hauling heavy loads, missing school, or trapped in cycles of poverty. “We must remember that behind every cocoa bean is a child who deserves to dream,” said Mr. Kingsley E. Hope, the immediate past Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). His presentation on ‘Media Landscape and Child Labour Reporting in Ghana’ urged editors to elevate advocacy reporting from the margins to the mainstream.
The workshop followed an earlier session in Kumasi for frontline journalists, where stories of field reporting were shared—some harrowing, others hopeful. Journalists recounted moments when their investigations led to rescued children, sensitised communities, or policy shifts. But they also spoke of challenges: editorial constraints, limited airtime, and the struggle to pitch stories that don’t always promise clicks but carry moral weight.
Madam Ernestina Oppong, Deputy News Editor at Kessben Media, offered practical guidance on ‘How to Pitch a Story on Child Labour’, emphasising the need to humanise statistics and spotlight the resilience of affected families. “It’s not just about exposing the problem,” she said. “It’s about telling the story of a child who got back to school, a mother who found support, or a community that changed.”
ICI’s Training and Safeguarding Manager, Nancy Aguteba, led sessions on child labour concepts and safeguarding, reminding editors that ethical reporting must protect the dignity of children while amplifying their plight. The Communications Director, Katie Bird, underscored that child labour is not just Ghana’s burden—it’s a global concern. “We must sustain the momentum,” she urged, “and ensure that these children are not forgotten once the headlines fade.”
ICI’s interventions go beyond workshops. They include educational support, apprenticeships for teenagers, household income initiatives, and cash transfers to vulnerable families, each designed to break the cycle of exploitation and restore childhoods.
From Kingsley E. Hope,
Mampong-Akuapem
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A Prophet and General Overseer of Jesus Prayer Ministry at Ejisu Asuasi, Kumasi, and Pig Farm, Accra, Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Grace Frimpong-Boateng, has urged Ghanaians to pray fervently to avert any disaster that would endanger many.
“God hears prayers, and intercessory prayers will provide your family safety and protection so you can live long and enjoy life in this world,” she added.
Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Frimpong-Boateng was speaking with The Spectator in an interview last week.
According to her, she had a revelation that there would be a tragedy that will harm many people, however, effective prayers can avert it.
She said that the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) predicted another heavy downpour from Thursday to Sunday following the recent torrential rain that devastated Accra and other areas. However, strong intercessory prayers prevented the prediction, which would have been catastrophic.
She claims that whenever she shares something that God has revealed to her, she does not receive widespread support from people to join her in effective intercession.
As a result, she has urged everyone including members of parliament, cabinet ministers, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and other citizens to exercise caution and pray fervently in order to avoid premature death.
According to Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Frimpong-Boateng the recent downpour in Accra which claimed lives and destroyed property was unusual.
“The sea was irritated because of certain rituals performed and caused it to spew forth, exposing the dirt.” There are still some rites in the sea, and they will definitely surface,” she disclosed.
“Let’s pray that God would burn and destroy the things that have contaminated the sea,” she indicated.
By Spectator
The Adentan Circuit Court has convicted a mason for stealing a four-year-old boy from Kpedze in the Volta Region and bringing him to Accra.
David Kpandoyo, 25, a Togolese national, pleaded guilty to a charge of child stealing.
The court, presided over by Mrs Angela Attachie, convicted him on his own plea and adjourned sentencing to July 14, 2026.
Kpandoyo told the court that he had gone to a drinking spot to consume alcohol when the child approached him.
He said he gave the boy some money, took him home, and could not remember what happened afterwards because he was intoxicated.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Patience Mario, assisted by Chief Inspector Jacob Nyarko, led the prosecution.
The prosecution said the complainant, Mr Bismark Gbago, is a 52-year-old painter residing at New Legon in Accra.
The victim’s mother, Ms Patience Ablordefey Afefa, is a 25-year-old hairdresser living at Kpedze in the Volta Region with the victim, a Kindergarten One pupil.
The prosecution said Kpandoyo also resided at New Legon, where he worked as a mason.
It said the victim went missing at Kpedze on July 1, 2026, at about 18:00 hours.
On July 3, at about 6:30pm, the complainant reported to the New Legon Police that he had found the four-year-old boy wandering around the area and that the child was unable to identify his home.
The prosecution said that on July 4, at about 4 p.m., the complainant informed the Police that after announcements were made within the community, Kpandoyo came forward claiming that the boy was his son.
The complainant and Kpandoyo subsequently went to the police Station to identify the child.
However, Kpandoyo was unable to produce the child’s birth certificate or lead the Police to the child’s mother.
Later that day, the police received a flyer bearing the name and telephone numbers of the victim’s mother, together with the child’s photograph, indicating that he had gone missing from Kpedze.
The police contacted the victim’s mother and asked her to report to the New Legon Police Station with the child’s birth certificate and weighing card because another person was claiming to be the child’s parent.
On July 6, the victim’s mother and her relatives reported to the Police Station and stated that they did not know Kpandoyo.
During investigations, Kpandoyo admitted in his cautioned statement that the victim was not his child.
He further confessed that while working at Kpedze, he stole the boy and brought him to Accra. –GNA
