Child Abuse: Causes and Effects, Ghana’s Side

    Introduction

 Using children for domestic chores has always been part of traditional African societies. However, the use of children as sources of income for their families when they are under- aged and supposed to be in school is frowned at globally. 

The children’s act of Ghana of 1998 defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years.

The law states: no parents shall deprive a child of their welfare even when not married at the time of their birth.  It goes further to state that every child should be protected from neglect, abuse, discrimination and violence.

 Parents Excuses

 Ms Diana Eunu, a petty trader at Mallam Attah Market at Newton in Accra said “My children are engaged in street hawking because; I am a divorcee with 4 children from my previous marriage.” Her first child is 9 year old girl who name she did not disclose and sells at the market with her. She went further to say “My daughter’s academic performance is being affected by selling and taking care of her younger siblings.”  She also said “If my daughter does not assist me in selling the family would not have sufficient money for food, let alone school fees.”

 Another parent Madam Akpene Amedzo who sells besides Ms Diana said “Most of my children are doing menial jobs because; I am not financially buoyant to cater for them.”  Though unwilling to tell how many children she has. Madam Akpene further said “My children do not sleep at home because; they travel with trucks out of Accra to earn a living.”

    Children Excuses

  Lydia Yaw is a 12 years and hawks cooked eggs at Barrier, an area in Adenta-Accra. She attends primary school at the West African Secondary School compound.  She is the second child in a family of 9. She stays with her aunty and that’s when she started hawking.

 Lydia stated “I have to hawk to get money.” (Chop money according to her). She does not recall the first names of her parents, but knows they are not bothered by her hawking, according to her  “I have told them and  they did not do anything about it.”