A CALL TO FIGHT STREETISM BY - FIRST LADY

First Lady, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills has called on First Ladies across the globe to seize the opportunity offered them by their positions to abolish streetism world-wide. She said, overlooking the situation in most countries is only a way of compounding the myriad of social vices facing most nations. Mrs. Mills made this remark in response to a panel discussion for five selected first ladies attending a three day First Ladies summit currently underway in Kuala Lurpur, Malaysia. She cited a phenomenon of a new form of streetism which she witnessed on one of her duty tour in Ghana, which she finds disturbing and urged governments, particularly the first ladies to champion the course of eliminating streetism in their respective countries. The discussion was hosted by BBC’s Mishal Hussain and afforded the first ladies the opening to share their experiences on efforts their countries are making to enhance the welfare of children and provide better safety for future leaders. Mrs. Mills stressed the need for children from deprived communities to be supported and taken off the streets into the classroom. The First Lady also used the occasion to encourage her colleagues to see education as a major pillar towards achieving a better nation and described it as the beginning of development. She indicated that back home in Ghana, the government has started a project of distributing free school uniforms for school children in deprived communities as well as providing schools under trees with buildings.

 Ghana needs a study into streetism 

The acting Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Children, Israel Akrobortu has made a passionate appeal to the government to commission a study into the increasing incidence of streetism in the country.

He said the number of children on the streets is multiplying and if steps are not taken quickly and collectively to find the root causes of this upsurge of streetism, things will get out of hand.

Mr. Akrobortu made the appeal at the celebration of the African union day in Wa.

The African Union Day of the African child was instituted in 1990 by the African Heads of State in commemoration of the massacre of innocent children in Soweto under Apartheid South Africa in 1976. The purpose of the day which is on the theme "ALL TOGETHER FOR ARGENT ACTIONS IN FAVOUR OF STREET CHILDREN" is to draw the attention of both Governmental and Non-governmental organisations, parents and society at large to the many problems that afflict the African child and impedes his development.

Mr Akrobortu said though the apartheid system is no longer in existence, the celebration of the African day of the child is still relevant, because our children continue to be faced with many problems such as diseases, illiteracy, child labour and poverty. These issues he said need to be addressed to ensure the child’s proper development, so that they can contribute significantly to the socio economic development of the country.

‘‘It is an undeniable fact that many Ghanaian families are breaking down and children are being compelled to fight and struggle for their own survival. Family violence and divorce are on the increase among Ghanaians. Emotional and physical abuse of children as well as neglect of children especially their educational needs are becoming chronic problems in our communities’’.


‘‘Today the children on streets are multiplying as more and more join them, those already there are starting families, sadly these families have single parents and if we do not quickly and collectively find solution to the root causes of this upsurge of streetism things will get out of hand’’.

The upper west deputy regional minister, Carle Caesar expressed worry that efforts to address issues of streetism had not been effective enough.

‘‘They have largely been uncoordinated. Without adequate funding and support and adhoc in nature’’

Mr. Caesar called on municipal/district assemblies to take up the issue of streetism more seriously and fashion out the relevant bye laws to deal with it.

He said government on its part will pursue policies and programmes to increase access to education and other opportunities as part of efforts to eliminate streetism, citing the increasing of the capitation grant and the provision free school uniforms and exercise books to pupils in deprived areas.


Story by Rafiq Salam/Wa/Ghana