You can be prosecuted for abusing rights of apprentices — Craft Trainers cautioned

Mr Mustapha Alhassan, the Tamale Metropolitan Labour Officer, has cautioned master craft trainers to avoid abusing the rights of their apprentices, as they can be prosecuted if found culpable.

He said although the Children’s Act enjoined apprentices to be faithful and respectful to their masters, it was equally important for the masters to reciprocate same to promote a conducive working environment.

Addressing some women master craft trainers in Tamale during a sensitisation programme, Mr Alhassan entreated them to refer all cases of disputes to the Labour Department for redress instead of taking the law into their hands.

The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH), a non-governmental organisation, organised the programme, with funding support from the African Women’s Development Fund.

This falls under its Advocacy Actions for Women Economic Security and Justice in Agricultural Activities in the Northern Region.

Participants were sensitised on labour regulations, the Children’s Act, and how to create an enabling working environment for young girls to acquire employable skills.

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director of SWIDA-GH, said unhealthy confrontations between women master craft trainers and their apprentices were preventing young girls from acquiring skills to make them self-reliant and safeguard them from domestic violence and other forms of abuses.

In some instances, apprentices had had to abandon the craft training, due to unhealthy relationships with their masters, which could lead to unemployment, she said.

She urged them not to recruit minors in their training as that constituted child labour and was not acceptable.

Madam Abdul-Wahab Humaimatu, the Head, Informal Apprenticeship Unit of the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service, urged the women to serve as role models to their apprentices by guiding them to make rightful choices to enhance their holistic growth and development.

Participants commended SWIDA-GH and partners for providing the platform to educate them on how to prioritise the welfare of their apprentices.

GNA