SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD LABOUR IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA.

Onyemelukwe, S.O.* and Okewu, A.A.

This study assesses the socio-economic consequences of child labour in Anambra State, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 400 children aged between 04-17 years, who are involved in laborious activities in the study area. The data was obtained using a structured questionnaire and FGDs. The results indicated that child labour participation is slightly higher among the male children with 53% compared to their female counterparts with 47%, as well as higher (71%) among the older children aged between 11-17 year. The finding also revealed that quite a high percentage of the children are not attending any school as at the time of the study, with the female child labourers mostly affected (24.2%) compared to the males with 19.2%. Among those attending school (combining work with schooling), majority (40.3%) have witnessed grade/class repetition, followed by those with lowered class performance and lateness to school with 24.25 and 19.0% respectively. Regression analysis showed that child labourer’s age, schooling status, frequency of job participation, condition of work, first age at start of work, health complications due to job participation and participation in social vices are significantly related to the hours of child’s involvement in work and are all significant at 0.05 confidence level. Whereas child sex and type of work engaged in showed no statistical significant relationship to the hours the children spend at work. It is imperative that both government and non-governmental organisations be set up to critically assess, design, implement and monitor programmes that will help to mitigate child labour participation. As this will go a long way in ensuring that children are given every opportunity to fully develop their potentials so as to contribute their quotas as adults and leaders tomorrow.

Key words: Child, Health Complications, Labour, Social Vices.