The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has launched a targeted advocacy campaign against the involvement of male children in mining activities across the region’s mining districts.
The initiative seeks to ensure that young male students prioritise their education over immediate, money-generating mining activities.
As part of the campaign, the Minister has begun visiting schools in these districts to sensitise both male and female students on the dangers of abandoning the classroom for the pits.
The advocacy drive commenced on Tuesday, 7th July 2026, with visits to the Akotaa Basic School and Agogoso Primary School in the Atwima Mponua District, where Dr Amoakohene engaged students directly in their classrooms.
During the tour, the Minister observed a stark gender disparity in school attendance, noting that girls significantly outnumbered boys in almost every classroom.
Dr Amoakohene further observed that the few boys enrolled on the school registers are plagued by chronic absenteeism, particularly at Akotaa Basic School.
During his interaction with the pupils, Dr Amoakohene emphasised that communities cannot afford to sit by and watch young boys sacrifice their long-term future for short-term financial gains in the mining pits.
The Minister explained that this new initiative is a strategic extension of existing girl-child education advocacy.
However, it specifically shifts a needed spotlight onto the male child, who is currently more vulnerable to dropping out due to the lure of the mining boom.
To ensure the sustainability of the campaign, Dr Amoakohene plans to engage broader stakeholders, including community leaders, to foster a culture that values formal education and parents to reinforce their responsibility in keeping children in school.
Dr Amoakohene also plans to engage the students themselves to inspire them to choose a better future through literacy.
The Minister emphasised that the success of this educational campaign is deeply tied to the broader fight against illegal mining.
In a direct directive, the Regional Minister has ordered task forces and agencies fighting illegal mining in the region to strictly monitor and enforce age restrictions.
He demanded that authorities investigate and verify the ages of labourers at both legal and illegal mining sites to ensure no school-aged children are being exploited.
Dr Amoakohene also urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to prioritise advocacy in keeping male students in school, away from mining sites.
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