Sunyani: Mr George Yaw Ankamah, the Bono Regional Director of the Department of Children, has called for law enforcement to control the growing trend of child streetism and alms begging. He emphasized that these activities are serious offences that infringe upon the rights and dignity of children. Mr Ankamah urged the arrest and prosecution of individuals and families exploiting minors in these practices.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Ankamah highlighted in an interview that child streetism not only violates children’s rights and dignity but also denies them access to formal education, proper shelter, and a safe environment necessary for their holistic development. He noted that many people, including foreigners, are exploiting the hospitability of the nation by forcing innocent children into street begging, thereby increasing their vulnerabilities.

Despite the Department’s efforts to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable children, Mr Ankamah pointed out the lack of shelter homes in many regions, which poses a considerable challenge. He called for the establishment of shelter homes at regional and district levels to empower the Department of Social Welfare to rehabilitate rescued children effectively.

Mr Ankamah stressed that providing shelter homes at these levels would be a significant step toward addressing the issue of street begging among children, offering them a safe haven to thrive. He urged the government to take pragmatic and urgent measures to tackle the growing streetism and alms begging among children in the country.