The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is taking steps to address streetism in Ghana, particularly focusing on children who are forced to live on the streets in cities and fend for themselves.
Minister Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey emphasized that the ministry’s efforts to promote gender equality and social protection are hindered by the lack of legislation, specifically the social protection bill which has yet to become an act.
The minister stressed that her ministry will champion the passage of the social protection bill into law, ensuring that social protection is recognized as a right rather than a privilege.
She acknowledged that the ministry faces challenges due to the lack of passage of key bills, which impedes implementation.
To address streetism, the ministry has organized workshops and consultations with stakeholders, including a consultative and validation workshop on street-connected children in 2021.
The ministry aims to develop a comprehensive plan to address the issue of street children, who are estimated to number around 61,492 in Accra alone.
The minister called for support from stakeholders to address the issues that bother the ministry the most, emphasizing the need for collective action to curb streetism in Ghana.
Story by: Emmanuel Asiedu Agyare (Onokwafo Yaw Asiedu)/Ahotoronline.com l Ghana 
@onokwafoasiedu
