Emerging Luminaries and Not Vagrants: Streetism, Survival Mode and an Already Failing System……

March 27, 2026

4 minutes read

DUSK to dawn, rain or shine and through it all, they are made aware that there is no place for solace but on principal streets of Accra and other major towns.

Tasked with the mandate to feed themselves and perhaps their ailing or unemployed parents, walking and lying on hard pavements is an everyday norm.

Clearly, they are not difficult to find, as their fragile bodies could be seen leaning against windscreens and windows of moving vehicles displaying arms that seem to demonstrate hunger.

At the expense of their education and a future with greater prospects, they meander through the streets becoming susceptible to social vices and in the worst-case scenarios; road accidents and other unfortunate occurrences.

Certainly, your guess is as good as mine; street children. Indeed no one has the luxury of choosing the family they come from or the social status to which they belong. The least one can afford to do is change the narrative as they progress in life, but for the one who begins life on the street, does this dream not appear too distant?

It is really difficult watching these young ones daily and how accustomed they are to the familiar pattern of roaming the streets every other day. Truth is every single street kid you see belongs to one of many categories; be it those working on the streets for financial gains, ones running from home as a result of domestic violence, ones lured by peers and most importantly a failed society with ailing systems.

Over the years, there have been many media reportages and investigative covers indicating that some of these young ones may even be victims to syndicates with ploys to garner wealth from benevolent Ghanaians who fall prey to their schemes.

Quite recently, there is even a more shocking trend, many ‘nonprofit organisations’ moving through major roads soliciting for funds for less privileged children. Whether or not these funds get to these mentioned beneficiaries is an argument for another day because truly, no one controls the space.

Also, because there is no form of regularisation, yet another bunch occupies our roads, this time with loudspeakers and banners of infants and toddlers with life threatening conditions. Truly my heart bleeds seeing these young ones suffer and even more so under harsh weather conditions while they display their predicaments to the general public all while in traffic. I was even more surprised to see that after investigations by certain media houses and some investigative bodies, these funds most often than not are not used to treat these kids. After this shocking reveal, I realized many of these individuals moved away from the streets but just for ‘some time’.

Amusingly, some foreign nationals constantly troop into Ghana to add to the already worrying numbers on our streets and with their young ones all in the pool of begging for alms. Gladly, they were whisked away last year but I still see a couple loitering around while eroding the image of Ghana.

Of greater concern is the fact that, many of our institutions entrusted with the mandate to secure these young ones fall short of their service. Due to this, the numbers keep rising day in, day out while we sit back and just observe as spectators.

Clearly, we are not clueless of what we should be doing as a country and we certainly have laws relating to Child Protection, and as such what is required is the implementation of it. The collaborative efforts of institutions at the district and national level would ensure that these ones are well placed in safer spaces for holistic development. It is also needed that parents or guardians who leave their young ones in such manners, are made to face stiffer sanctions.

A well-established nation is one that constantly seeks to pursue the interest of their youth and their development. I envisage a country where we pay particular attention to the health and mental development of minors.

Indeed, what we need to see more is a nation much more intentional about the developmental needs of juveniles. Take for instance the creation of a lot more recreational facilities and the upgrading of the existing ones such as Efua Sutherland Park. The current state of that edifice is troubling and gives off nothing relating to children. Restructuring it with state-of-the-art equipment and devices is the way to go.

Research from the Korean Society of Exercise Rehabilitation shows that the effect of recreation on young individuals is extensive. As it enhances self-expression, self-fulfilment ability, human relation skills, techniques and aesthetic sense. From the medical perspective, recreation may be used as a tool for therapy. It is therefore time to give this edifice the facelift it deserves. Just imagine workers in various ministries and organisations around, dropping off their young kids at the recreational park during vacation while the burden of their care is lifted off their shoulders for a reasonable fee. Is this too hard to envisage and create?

Lastly, I recommend a fund for children battling with terminal diseases so as to support their treatment and recovery with every Ghanaian being able to easily give at their own convenience. A little from every benignant Ghanaian can go a long way.

Most importantly a freeway for every Ghanaian child in their pursuance of quality education should be created because education is progress in every family, of every nation according to the Late Ko Annan.

These juveniles we leave on our streets are the ones going to represent us at the global front in years to come and as such their backgrounds should never be made to dictate their future. We all have a charge to make things right and an even greater part of service is required from our leaders at the front.

BY MAAME BUABENG LAMPTEY

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