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Introduction: streetism according to experts is the act in which children spent most of their time in the
street either sleeping there or go home late in the night without care from parents or guardians.
Stretism in Ghana is a social problem for both parents , government and other non-governmental
organization who are into promoting the welfare of children.
According to the United Nations, there is still currently about thirty thousand living in the street of
ghanas cities and town. In Accra alone there are twenty thousand according to estimates by catholic
action for street and N.G.O.
Whats more, most street children in Ghana are said to be between 10- eighteen years , though there are
many who are far younger . most of these children according to research suffer from what can be best
described as “Chronic Homeless”.
The issue of streetism in the upper west region is not of exception, as according to research and reports
the number of children of school going age found loitering day and night at the wa kejetia is on the
increase as the day rolls. What accounted for this? what are the effects of this act to these children and
to the society.
In this documentary, we try to explore the situation, what can be done ? what role can parents play?
What is the role of government in the situation and other development ‘partners in combating the
problem?
We speak Mr. Micheal Bayel the municipal director of the department of social welfare , we asked what
streetism is, and the causes.
Cue:
We speak to some street children who were found loitering on the street at night, the reason why they
have abandone their home to the streets.
CUE:
We speak to some
Republic of Ghana
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has
roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest
countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains
heavily dependent on international financial and
technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and
individual remittances, are major sources of foreign
exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve
around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of
GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly
small landholders. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A.
2009]
CAUTION: The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Ghana.
Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false. No attempt has
been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.
Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005
CHILDREN - The migration of children from rural to urban areas increased, due to economic
hardship. Children were driven to the streets to fend for themselves, increasing both the
occurrence of child labor and the school dropout rate. During the year MOWAC officials estimated
that as many as 40 thousand porters, most of whom were girls under 18, lived on the streets in
major cities, including Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi. These girls were among the most vulnerable
child laborers, as many also engaged in prostitution or were sexually exploited in exchange for
protection while living on the streets. In 2003 the Ghana Statistical Service and the ILO
International Program to Eliminate Child Labor (ILO/IPEC) surveyed 2,314 street children
throughout the country, most of whom lived in the urban areas of the Greater Accra and Ashanti
Regions and had migrated from northern rural areas. Of those surveyed, 45.7 percent had never
attended school, 98.1 percent were engaged in economic activity within the last 12 months, and
80 percent stated the work was demanding. Over three-quarters of street children surveyed
reported that both parents were alive, indicating poverty was the main cause of the problem.
Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 1997
[19] The Committee is also concerned by the increase in the number of children living and/or
working on the street in major cities. It is also worried by the violence that is often directed against
them. The Committee is further concerned by the lack of statistical data and studies on such
children.
Northern, Upper East & West Are the Suppliers of Street Kids in Kumasi
This article has been archived by World Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here]
Several reasons have been adduced for the swarming of Kumasi by these boys and girls many of
school going age. According to Mr. George Baffour Owusu Afriyie, Executive Director of Street
Children Development Foundation (SCDF), NGO, idleness as a result of dropping out of school,
poverty, lack of parental love for children, are some of the causes of the massive migration to the
South. He mentioned peer pressure, economic factors and on a smaller scale, forced -
marriages, as agents in the north - south movement of the youth.
He explained that the geographical position of Kumasi makes it more vulnerable to the
phenomenon of street children, as it offers a transit point to migrants from all parts of the country
and beyond. These migrants, he said, more often than not terminate their journey in Kumasi and
through the Asante hospitality and good neighborliness, resort to any manner of livelihood to
sustain themselves. Like any other job, being a load carrier or porter has its advantages and
disadvantages.
On a good day a porter can earn between ¢ 30, 000 and ¢ 50, 000. On bad days, however, a
porter has to fall on a colleague to have something to eat. The girls are compelled to satisfy the
sexual desires of their male counterparts to get food to eat. Due to such instances a number of
young girls become pregnant and have to go back home.
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Martin, "Street Children - Ghana", http://gvnet.com/streetchildren/Ghana.htm, [accessed <date>]