Tamale, Feb. 11, GNA - Alhaji Abukari Inusah, Northern Region focal person on the Poverty Reduction Project (PRP), has appealed to the government to address the poverty situation of parents of street children.

He said unless this was done, the problem of street children would persist since parents could not take care of their children because they were poor.

Alhaji Inusah said these at a day's sensitisation seminar for media practitioners and other key social partners concerned with issues about street children in Tamale on Tuesday.

He said the problem of street children resulted in theft armed robbery, prostitution and other social vices.

Alhaji Inusah said: "This is becoming a menace to society since the country's future would be at stake if our future leaders grow up in such an environment".

He said the seminar was aimed at sensitising journalists in particular on the issue of street children to enable them to educate the public on the problems.

Alhaji Inusah said the government had contracted a loan of 2.6 million dollars from the World Bank to train street children in employable skills, such as batik and dye, artisans and tailoring. Mr Abudlai Salifu, the Tamale Municipal Coordinating Director, expressed concern about the growing incidence of Street children in the city and appealed to individuals and groups to assist in solving the issue.

He said the government had already initiated the Community Based Poverty Reduction Project, to alleviate the plight of the children. Mr S.S. Nayinah, Northern Regional Director of the Ghana National Commission on Children, briefed participants on the rights of children and asked the district assemblies to protect children.