Accra, March 20, – The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed that 2,087 children aged 10 to 14 years are involved in mobile business activities across Ghana.
Findings from the Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES I) indicate that about 80 per cent of these children are girls, raising concerns over child labour and its impact on school attendance.
Presenting the report on Thursday, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician, noted that 14.7 per cent of these children owned the goods they sold, exposing them to economic risks and highlighting gaps in social protection.
“Social protection programmes can help reduce the financial pressures that push children into trading activities,” he said.
Mobile businesses, defined as enterprises operating without fixed locations, include hawking, head porterage, and trading via motorised vehicles. While these businesses serve households and communities, laws such as the Children’s Act (1998) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Act (2020) prohibit exploitative child labour and mandate school attendance.
The survey found that 57 per cent of mobile traders earned less than GH¢100 per day, and over a third worked at least nine hours daily, creating economic pressures that draw children into the workforce.
Dr Iddrisu acknowledged that mobile businesses contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 8, and 11, by providing income for vulnerable groups, promoting decent work, and supporting inclusive urban planning.
However, he expressed concern about the risks children face, including lost educational opportunities, exposure to traffic and weather hazards, exploitation, and early economic responsibility.
He urged government agencies to enforce child labour laws more rigorously, expand school support programmes, and provide vocational training, business services, and start-up support to youth engaged in mobile trading.
Dr Iddrisu also called on financial institutions to collaborate with authorities in offering micro-credit, mobile savings, and digital payment solutions tailored to informal enterprises to promote formalisation.
The IBES I survey identified 2.64 million businesses nationwide, spanning all regions and covering 10,240 enumeration zones based on the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
GHBUSS
20 March 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment