Most streets in Accra are flooded with beggars comprising of energetic youth, aged, children and the physically challenged.

The situation has become worrisome as the number of street beggars are increasing by the day.

Per United Nations reports, over 4,000 children are living on the streets of Ghana.

Lamenting about this growing issue, the Department of Social Welfare Director at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Comfort Asare, has sent a word of caution to beggars on the streets.

According to her, these beggars are denting the image of Ghana hence, the need to as a matter of urgency desist from the act.

Dr. Comfort Asare stated that these beggars see the practice as a lucrative business, forgetting the embarrassment they subject others who refuse to give them alms to.
As the world celebrates International Day of the family, she urged parents and families to take their children off the streets.

"We call on families to stop children from living on the streets...These children even get angry if you don't give them alms. I hear they don't like food too, they like money. This alone tells you that the motive is wrong. It isn't that some of them don't have the means but I think some people have seen it as a lucrative business."

"All parents who are pushing children to the streets to beg for them, please stop it. It's not good, you are not helping Ghana. You are disgracing Ghana," Dr Comfort Asare said.

"Because when foreigners see the number of children lined up on the streets, they don't carry any good news about us to their countries so we must stop," she added.

She noted that the goal for the day's celebration is to increase the awareness of the benefits of the family system and the need to maintain our roots in love and togetherness.