AN EXPLORATORY COMPARISON OF CHILD STREET HAWKING IN GHANA

AND NIGERIA; INTERVENTIONAL PROGRAMS OF THE GOVERNMENT

Data analysis

In another article, the large family size makes it difficult for parents to cater for

kids, most children who are from large family size tend to hawking as a means

of livelihood because of poverty, parents with large family size find it difficult

to give their children good parental upbringing, children from large family size

homes perform below average in academic achievement due to quarrels from

home, children from large family size homes are emotionally challenged, a

child from large family home finds it difficult in getting along with his mates in

school, parents with large family size find it almost impossible to provide three

square meal daily for their children;

thus, large family size is associated with street hawking among children.

A traditional myth in Nigeria has made most parents believe that children are forms of

helpers with the responsibility of providing economic assistance to their parents. This makes

parents in Nigeria give birth to many work hard to support their perents since the poverty is

very high. Divorce and the untimely death of parents are also other factors that push children

on the streets. Some children are also discourafed to continue with schooling due to poor

academic performance which pushes them to the streets quickly, (Obiaks, 2017)
. The governmtnt of Nigeria has implemented various strategies but hve not yield much

results. There is a continuous rise in the number of street hawkers annually and a lot of

literatures under the area of research, however the issue is still treated lightly. There is an

ongoing deliberation on the leagalisation or the eradication of child street hakiwng by the

Nigerian policy makers. They believe that it cretes an economic support for the family and

reduce issues of poverty in homes, (Obiaks, 2017)

In another article, the large family size makes it difficult for parents to send

their children to school, most children who are from large family size tend to

hawking as a means of livelihood because of poverty, parents with large family

size find it difficult to give their children good parental upbringing, children

from large family size homes perform below average in academic achievement

due to quarrels from home, children from large family size homes are

emotionally challenged, a child from large family home finds it difficult in

getting along with his mates in school, parents with large family size find it

almost impossible to provide three square meal daily for their children;

thus, large family size is associated with street hawking among children.

The next analysis is how poverty makes it difficult for parents to send their

children to school, most children who are from poor background take to

hawking as a means of livelihood, poverty makes its victims to lose interest in

education, growing up in poverty hinders childhood academic achievement, a

poor child cannot cope with high rate of fees in Nigerian schools, a child from
poor background finds it difficult in getting along with his mates in school and

poverty makes it almost impossible for parents to provide three square meal a

day for their children thus, poverty is associated with street hawking among

children.

: children indulge in street hawking unaware of the dangers therein, children not

being informed of bad influence end up being influenced in taking to street

hawking, children who do not know that they can improve on their low

academic performance end up on the road, children out of ignorance end up in

street hawking due to “get rich quick syndrome”, children because of lack of

proper counseling embark on street hawking business, ignorance makes children

to think that going to school is a waste of time and ignorance makes children to

be myopic in their thinking thereby embarking on street hawking business.,

ignorance is associated with street hawking among children.

children indulge in street hawking unaware of the dangers therein, children not

being informed of bad influence end up being influenced in taking to street

hawking, children who do not know that they can improve on their low

academic performance end up on the road, children out of ignorance end up in

street hawking due to “get rich quick syndrome”, children because of lack of

proper counseling embark on street hawking business, ignorance makes children

to think that going to school is a waste of time and ignorance makes children to
be myopic in their thinking thereby embarking on street hawking business.

therefore, ignorance is associated with street hawking among children.

Street Hawking among children is a very prevalent phenomenon in ghana and

Nigeria especially in its capital city. It is visible to the blind and audible to the

deaf that child labor is on the upsurge in ghana and nigeria. The findings and

results show that street hawking is linked with high cost of living, large family

size, poverty and ignorance. All these social problems contribute to the

prevalence of street hawking among the children of school age in ghana and

Nigeria. .The study also reveals that parents force their children to work, and

parents will have more children if the household income depends on the income

of the children. Street hawking as a form of child labour displace children’s

education and hinder economic development (Sagawara 2010: 592). The study

also shows that there is high incidence of children in economic activities in

developing countries because of the low income and poverty trap.

The consequences of street hawking by children can broadlybe classified into

three, viz: physical, psychological and social.

There is need for government continuous enlightenment of parents on the effect

involving their children in street hawking and the importance of education. This

becomes necessary so that parents will look for other means of sustaining the
family rather than use their children as economic benefits. There is need for

government to create more job opportunities so that citizens would be employed

to enable then cater for family needs. Government should make education free

at all levels so that the less privileged children would have the opportunity to be

educated. Government should legislate against involving children of school age

in hawking and punish parent, guardian and caregiver who go against it.

There is a need to protect the child, advocate reduction in family size, poverty

andpromote parental education/economic empowerment in order to reduce the

urge onchildren to perform economic roles. There is also a need to study all

thePolicies regarding child labor in Nigeria, as contained in the Child Rights

Act passed bythe National Assembly (Child Right Act (CRA) 2003Section 21 –

40) for proper planning and for the protection of school children if Nigeriais to

improve on her child survival, developmental and protection indices in the

nearfuture.

Seminars, workshop, radio and televisionprogrammes, hand bills, jingles, bill

boards, etc should be made valuable instruments toeducate people on the

dangers of hawking.

The government should improve the standard of living of the citizens through

provision of allowance to the citizens.

Legislation should be made to forbid children from hawking especially during

school hours in gh and nig And if such is already in place, it should be given

adequate priority and should be effective. This willdemoralize every child of

school age from indulging in street hawking and therefore, take advantage of

the free education policy of the state as recommended.

However, the increasing rate of child labour would haveprobably been easily

averted if alternative market stalls had been provided before thedemolition of

shops and stalls located along the various streets of the city in Enugu North by

Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA). To this end,

alternative market stalls should be provided for by the government.

Finally, Government should vigorously pursue poverty alleviation policies

toameliorate the economic burdens of the people.

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