Tadi youth turn to sale of coconut as vacation jobs

• Posted on September 6, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

POVERTY has pushed many school children in Takoradi, who are currently on holidays, to take to the sale of coconut as vacation job.

These children, between the ages of 9 and 12, hail from Ahanta and Nzema.

Speaking to The Finder in an interview, these children, who appear to enjoy what they do, say they have taken to the sale of coconut to make some money and prepare adequately before school re-opens.

As one travels around the central business district, one comes across many of the children, with their carts loaded with hundreds of fresh coconut ready to do business from as early as 8a.m. till 8p.m.

Speaking to Abednego Ackon, one of the children, on a busy, hot afternoon, he confirmed the high level of poverty his parents face at home. With his feeble hands, he peels the coconut husk, and with a few strokes of the machete, he cracks the tip of the coconut and then serves his thirsty customers.

But observers see the work of these children as against the International Labour Organisation’s resolution on child labour.

Indeed, only last week, the Anglican Church in Ghana declared war against child labour and child trafficking in the country, stating emphatically its resolve to partner the international community to kick against the practice in the country.

In May 2010, more than 450 delegates from 80 countries, including Ghana, gathered in Sweden as part of International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) activities to agree on as a roadmap aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016.

It is estimated that over 600 million new jobs need to be created by 2030, according to the ILO, just to keep pace with the growth of the global working age population. That’s around 40 million per year.

In Ghana, the recommended age for work is 15 years and above depending on the job specification, from light jobs to hard labour, based on the ILO convention.

From Zambaga Rufai SAMINU, Takoradi