As the one-year programme of Child Labour Education and Resilience (CLEAR) project of the Lutheran World Relief (LWR) raps up in Ondo State, the organisers have reiterated the need to eradicate prevalence of child labour practices among Cocoa farmers in the country.
While emphasising the point that hard labour is not allowed, they stressed the need to engage children in different vocational skills training.
The Chief of Party, Lutheran World Relief, Nene Akwetey-Kodjoe, who spoke during a-day close-out workshop of the CLEAR project, held in Akure, said it has recorded a lot of success story.
The CLEAR project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in partnership with the Ondo State Government, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and International Labour Organization (ILO).
Represented by the Human Resource Manager, Lutheran World Relief, Foluso Wilson, Akwetey-Kodjoe, said: “We started the CLEAR project in October, 2023 in Idanre and Ifedore Local Council, in order to reduce the prevalence of child labour practices among cocoa farmers in the state.”
He said all hands must be on deck towards creating practical ways that would put an end to the ills and dangers of child labour in the cocoa industry.
The Programme Technical Advisor, Lutheran World Relief, Siji Ofoesuwa, who gave an update on the CLEAR project activities, said the project got about $78,625 to execute its mandate in Idanre and Ifedore cocoa communities in the state.
According to him: “The objectives of the project were to increase awareness of teachers, parents and community leaders about child labour and its negative impact, to improve the socio-economic status and resilience of parents and to increase entrepreneurial activities through vocational clubs in schools.
“We got the approval from the Ministry of Education for the implementation of the CLEAR project in 10 schools in Idanre and Ifedore councils. The approved schools are – Ala Comprehensive High School, Ala Idanre; Oniseere Community High School, Ofosu-Idanre; Olofin Grammar School, Odode-Idanre; L.A Primary School Ita-Loorun, Idanre; L.A Primary School, Gbalegi-Idanre; Alasagba Community High School, Ibuji; United Comprehensive High School, Ikota; Ayo Grammar School, Ipogun; Community Primary School, Molete; and L.A. Primary School Ajebamidele.
“We have sensitised and organised campaign awareness for about 350 community leaders, households, school teachers on the elimination of child labour and its negative impact”.
“The CLEAR project has also trained 12 teachers, 10 CFAN facilitators, 10 community leaders, and eight state steering committee members on the elimination of child labour, using the ILO Scream modules (Supporting Children’s Right through Education, the Arts and the
The National President, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Adeola Adegoke, and the Ondo State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Adenike Mogboruko, commended the Lutheran World Relief for sponsoring the project in the state.
They, however, noted that the project has helped a lot in order to eliminate the child labour in the state.
According to them, there was need for the state government to focus more on how to create vocational skill centres for the teeming youths, which would also help to reduce the prevalence of child labour practices in the state.
