ACCRA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisah Djaba Friday expressed worry about the increasing number of children on the streets.
Addressing an event in Accra to mark the Day of the African Child, she said the situation was an indication that Ghana had a lot to do to address the challenge.
She said it was very worrying to see children begging, selling and cleaning car windshields on the streets and therefore her outfit would engage in mapping and collecting disaggregated data on all street children.
"This will enable us establish a database so that we can get them off the streets, reintegrate them back with their families and into school," she told the gathering as Ghana joined the rest of the continent to mark the day.
The event brought together selected schoolchildren and stakeholders working to uphold the rights of the child.
The Day of the African Child is observed every year on June 16 by Member States of the African Union (AU) and its partners to commemorate the 1976 uprisings in Soweto, South Africa.
The protest by black schoolchildren was against apartheid-inspired education, resulting in the public killing of the unarmed young protesters by police.
Otiko said her outfit had intensified efforts to curb child trafficking and was collaborating with other state agencies, ministries and relevant partners to prosecute offenders.
"Government will continue to lay the foundation for the interest of the Ghanaian, African and the global child so that we would have a cause to rejoice when we are able to groom, nurture and transform our future leaders properly," said the minister. Enditem
