Yesterday’s issue of The Chronicle carried a story about cocoa farmers shooting down a report by Aljazeera on the alleged use of child labor on their farms. Aljazeera is a respected international news channel, and whatever reportage they broadcast would receive global coverage. The report sought to portray Ghana as using children, as young as four years, to work on cocoa farms.
This claim has, however, been denied by the farmers, saying it was stage-managed for the cameras. The management of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) also stated that it suspected a calculated attempt by powerful forces to undermine Ghana’s effort at producing cocoa to the benefit of her citizens. According to COCOBOD management, the report cannot be true and has, therefore, led a team of journalists to hold a durbar with the Ohiampenika community, in the Amenfi West District of the Western Region, where the report emanated from, and explain to them the attempts being made to undermine cocoa production in Ghana.
The Chronicle strongly agrees with COCOBOD, because what Aljazeera did is tantamount to the unethical practice of journalism. How on earth will a great news outlet like Aljazeera engage in such an act? Journalism should not be used to tarnish the image of another institution or country for personal gain.
The Aljazeera team was reported to have posed as officials from COCOBOD, visited the chiefs and people of Ohiampenika, and said they were in the community to know their most pressing needs as a cocoa growing community, so that they could forward them to the government for immediate attention. Since it was a Sunday and the children were all in church at the time, they had to go and bring out the children, change their clothes, and take them to the farms to act, as the crew had directed them to do.
The whole documentary was staged and Aljazeera brought out a report accusing Ghana of failing to continue the fight against child labour on cocoa farms. This is so wrong and unethical journalism. Studies show that most of the children who work on cocoa farms do so within their household or extended family structure. Child labour is a complex issue. The vast majority of cocoa in West Africa is grown by smallholder farmers, and most of the children who work on the cocoa farms do so within their immediate or extended family which cannot be strictly described as child labour.
Child labour is defined by the International Labour Organisation as “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to their physical and mental development.” (ILO Conventions 138 and 182 refer to child labour.)
Not all work done by children is classified as child labour. For instance, children carrying out light, non-hazardous, tasks on the family farm for a limited period of time, under supervision, and without compromising their schooling, is considered acceptable child work.
This type of work is often necessary for the welfare of many families. It also contributes to children’s development, providing them with skills and experience that help them prepare for their adult farming life.
However, The Chronicle holds the view that if there are instances of forced child labour that deprives children of their childhood and is harmful to their physical and mental development, then these complex problems can be effectively tackled through the collective, coordinated and consistent efforts of all parties involved in the cocoa industry.
