Wa, June 28, GNA - School children in the Upper West Region have appealed to the government to empower the appropriate institutions that are working for their survival, so that they could perform their functions effectively.

The children made these demands in a message at the regional celebration of this year's 93Day of the African Child" at Wa over the weekend, it was under the theme: 93All together for urgent action in favour of street children".

The event was jointly organized by the Department of Children, World Vision International, UNICEF and Plan Ghana.

The celebration of the day was instituted in 1990 by African Heads of State in commemoration of the massacre of innocent children in 1976 by the then Apartheid regime in South Africa.

Apart from the day being used to create awareness, it goes further to assess progress made to improve the situation of children on the continent. It also draws the attention of parents and the society to the many problems that confront the African child and impede his or her development.

"Poverty is not only lack of resources but also the denial of opportunities and choices to improve one's quality of life", the statement said.

Alhaji Issaku Salia, the Upper West Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf regretted that efforts made towards addressing the plight of street children had not been effective and had been largely uncoordinated.

He called on Municipal and District Assemblies to deal with the street children more seriously and make the relevant bye-laws to deal with them.

Madam Mariama Yahaya, Acting National Director of the Department of children, said there over 50,000 children on the streets and that could undermine the achievement of the millennium development goals if it is not addressed.