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‘Don’t involve children in tobacco estates’

The Mzimba Labour Office has called on estate owners in the district to desist from engaging children in the growing of tobacco.

District labour officer Edward Gondwe made the appeal recently in an interview.

He said involving children in child labour retards their development.

Gondwe said it is sad that during rainy season, many estate owners engage children in the planting of tobacco seedlings, something that affects their studies.

“Let me appeal to parents and guardians to ensure that their children are not involved in child labour so that they grow into useful and productive citizens,” he said.

Gondwe said they are planning to conduct awareness meetings on the effects of child labour, targeting child protection and child labour committees, teachers, parents and guardians.

“Apart from this intervention, we are also going to intensify child labour inspections so that we completely root out this malpractice in the district,” he said.

Mzimba is one of the districts engaged in the extensive growing of tobacco.

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