Members of the GAWU of TUC accompanied by an international delegation paid a courtesy call on the National Programme Manager of NPECLC, Prof Richard Bani, on 19th August, 2011 at the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare.
The team was in the country to explore possibilities of working with Trade Unions in Ghana and West Africa in the Elimination of child labour in cocoa and the possibility of fostering and strengthening work with partners in the cocoa value chain, considering the potential of chocolate production and consumption to improve livelihood of cocoa farm families.
Prof. Richard Bani, explained the objectives of the NPECLC, its success stories and some of the challenges it faces. He also listed the COCOBOD, UNICEF, DANIDA, ILO/IPEC and the GAWU as some of the partners of the program.
Prof. Richard Bani said the goal of the NPECLC now is a reduction by 70% in aggregate of the Worst Forms of Child Labour in the cocoa sector by the year 2020 in conformity with the new Harken Engel Protocol
He said one of the main challenges of the Programme is that of the accurate identification of children in child labour or the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) and those at risk. To help overcome this challenge, the Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System (GCLMS) was developed through the harmonization and standardization of the various child labour monitoring systems that have operated in this country. The GCLMS, which has also borrowed from all those systems, is a set of Tools that when properly administered, will provide information on children and the households in which they live to inform the development of appropriate responses and remediation strategies.
In response to a question by Mr. Dick de Grasf, Coordinator of the European Cocoa Trade Union, as to whether the Programme was facing monetary challenges which could prevent the Programme from achieving its objectives, Prof. Bani explained that monetary challenge is not as big an issue as the changing of the beliefs and attitudes of the people in the country about child labour
Prof. Bani informed the delegation that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is soon to be signed between the NPECLC and the GAWU of TUC to establish the GAWU as a major partner in organizing cocoa farmers into farmer groups. The GAWU is also expected to organize educational and sensitization programs for the farmers and coordinate additional livelihood support schemes for the farmers, among others.
Mr. Dick de-Grasf was happy at the collaboration between the NPECLC and GAWU and called for the union to continuously work with the Ministry.
Prof. Richard Bani expressed his appreciation for the manner in which child labour and related issues have attracted international attention and hoped this continues.
LIST OF MEMBERS OF DELEGATION
- Andrews Tagoe ……………..GAWU GHANA
- Dick de Grasf …………………Cord. European Cocoa Trade Union
- Jos Hendriks ………………….FNV Bondgenoten(Deutsche Chocolate Factories Union-Holland)
- Julie Schoulen ………………. FNV Bondgenoten(Deutsche Chocolate Factories Union-Holland)
- Adwoa Sakyi …………………Int. Union Federation Africa (Agric. Trade Union Group)
- Kinda Leonie ………………..CSB(Agric. Union Group- Burkina Faso)
- Kere Pascal ………………….CSB( Trade Union Centre- Burkina Faso)
- Niangorman Koffi ………..Synagyra/ UGTCI (GAWU- Cote d’Ivoire)
- Dossou Sismeon …………. Int. Union Federation Africa(Benin)
- Polondeel Julie …………… FGTG HORVAL
- Emelia Ghansah …………. GAWU GHANA