Child labour rife in Sunyani as chop bar operators exploit vulnerable girls

Child labour has become pervasive in Sunyani Municipality, particularly at chop bars and food joints in the Central Business District (CBD) and Nana Bosoma Central Market.

Exploited for financial gain, girls aged 13 to 15 undertake tasks like washing dishes and fetching water, earning between GHC20 and GHC30 daily.

Many travel from Northern Ghana due to poverty, enduring over 10-hour workdays.

Some are pregnant or nursing mothers, living in kiosks or dilapidated structures. Vulnerable to exploitation, they face risks including assault and pregnancy by criminals.

Efforts to curb child labour, mandated by law, are urged amid educational neglect and societal hardship.