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How can we lessen the burden of these children?
A child pouring dawadawa fruit
Over hundreds of children between seven and 12 years living in Kumdi and its environs in the Kpandai District of the Northern Region are often seen carrying heavy firewood from the bush as a way of supporting their parents to take care of them.
Though seen as a normal obligation by children, some of the parents should be considerate in pushing their children to carry heavy load.
Cynthia, an eight-year-old girl who was photographed among her colleagues confirmed how heavy the load they carry but they have no option.
In an interview with Mr. Solomon Masam, a father of six and a resident of Kumdi he said: “The practice has always been there from time immemorial, so they do not see it as against the right of their children, but rather moulding them to be responsible people when they grow”.
He said that, the children were assisting their parents to cater for them which was not a harmful practice.
He said “In our part of the country, the more you have children the more you become respected and powerful because of the value and support they give us”.
Mr. Enock Bolni a youth advocate and at volunteer in Bimbilla also in the Northern Region said, the practice was very common and had been in existence for decades which would be very difficult to stop.
He said, “Though it is a bad practice, poverty is the underlying factor of the practice, which has led to forced marriages and other unbearable circumstances these children go through.
“The practice has forced many of the children especially girls to travel to seek greener pastures in Southern Ghana, because there, they believe they will make money from their labour as compare with what they do in their communities.
“And until an effective national policy and regulation be implemented to address this situation, it will be difficult to stop the practice”.
Madam Esther Boateng, the Northern Zone Manager of Actionaid Ghana a non-governmental organisation working in the area also said, addressing this problem of using children in farm instead of school needed more collaboration to build the capacities of state institutions to implement measures to identify and protect vulnerable children and victims of the practice.
She said, to implement measures to tackle human trafficking and forced labour, including the worst forms of child labour, it wa`s very important to partner with other institutions to achieve the purpose.
From: Geoffrey Buta, Kumdi
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
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Energy Minister announces full restoration of power generation units after major grid disruption
Energy Minister, John Jinapor has announced that all power generation units affected by the recent national grid disruption have been fully restored and are back in service.
According to the Minister on social media, engineers, technicians and emergency response teams worked continuously to restore electricity supply and stabilise the national grid after the incident caused major challenges within the power sector.
In a statement, the Minister praised the efforts of personnel from the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana for their commitment and coordination during the emergency.
“Mission accomplished. All generation units are now back in service,” the Minister stated.
He explained that despite the scale of the disruption, technical teams worked around the clock to restore power and secure stability within the system.
“Through their tireless work, discipline, and commitment to country, power has been restored and system stability secured,” he said.
The Minister further expressed appreciation to the leadership and staff of GRIDCo, VRA, ECG and other supporting agencies for their collective response to the crisis.
According to him, the successful restoration of the system demonstrates the resilience and capability of Ghanaian professionals in times of national difficulty.
“This moment shows that even under pressure, Ghana can rely on the strength and skill of its people,” he added.
The Minister offered prayers for the country’s energy sector and the engineers who led the restoration efforts.
“May God bless our engineers, our energy sector, and our nation,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
