Makeni is one of Sierra Leone’s six municipalities and is governed by a directly elected city council, headed by a mayor, in whom local executive authority is vested. The mayor is responsible for the general management of the city.
Hundreds of children in Makeni City are trapped in child labour, depriving them of their childhood, their health and education, and such miserable actions condemning the lives of children into a life-term poverty and want.
Just like Freetown, child labour spans various sectors, including agriculture, trading, quarrying and domestic service in Makeni City. The level of child labour is manifested in almost each and every corner in the city, owing to the fact that one will vividly see children that supposed to be in school toting pure water together with other food commodities to trading in the city.
Ironically, the child laboring activities that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that is really harmful to their physical and mental development. Such action refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children and people of authorities in the city are meddling and buying pure water and other food items from children street traders.
To be honest, there are works that children do to help their families in ways that are neither harmful nor exploitative to their wellbeing. But many children are stuck in an unacceptable work for children which happened to be a serious violation of their fundamental human rights.
Actually, not all work done by children should be classified as child labour that is to be targeted for elimination. Children’s participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive, as they are learning how to be a responsible adults. Such work includes activities such as helping their parents around the home, assisting in a family business or earning pocket money outside school hours and during school holidays.
These kinds of activities contribute to children’s development and to the welfare of their families; they provide them with skills and experience, and help to prepare them to be productive members of society during their adult life.
At the moment, Makeni city is being governed by a female Mayor Sunkarie Kabba-Kamara, as result of this one will think the Mayor should plays the motherly role in order to drastically curtail the significance level of child labour and abuse in the northern city of Makeni.
