By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Abuakwa South, July 25, GNA – Child Support Ghana has launched a nationwide campaign urging the government to introduce a Child Benefit Allowance Programme by 2030 to reduce child poverty and improve children’s welfare across the country.
Mr Kwame Jones Jay-Jay, Founder of Child Support Ghana, said the proposed Child Benefit Allowance Programme sought to provide every Ghanaian child with meaningful financial support to ensure access to basic needs, including nutrition, healthcare and education.
He said the initiative aimed to address the growing challenge of child poverty while creating equal opportunities for children regardless of their socio-economic background.
Mr Jay-Jay cited recent UNICEF findings indicating that nearly 80 per cent of Ghanaian children under the age of five experienced multidimensional poverty, lacking one or more essential needs such as adequate nutrition, healthcare, education, safe drinking water, sanitation or decent housing.
According to him, UNICEF also estimated that about 3.65 million Ghanaian children currently lived in poverty, while approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five suffered severe food poverty, consuming fewer than five of the eight recommended food groups required for healthy growth.
“As a result, around one in every five children is stunted, affecting physical and brain development. Many children suffer from anaemia and preventable illnesses. Nearly 28 per cent of Ghanaian children live in monetary poverty, with no national child income support available to cushion vulnerable families,” he said.
He noted that the burden of child poverty was particularly severe in rural communities and parts of Northern Ghana, where inadequate healthcare, poor sanitation, limited educational opportunities and food insecurity continued to trap many children in cycles of poverty.
Mr Jay-Jay described child poverty as a major obstacle to national development, stressing that many children were unable to realise their full potential because of circumstances beyond their control.
He said investing in children through a structured national support programme would improve their well-being and contribute significantly to Ghana’s long-term economic growth and social development.
Mr Jay-Jay emphasised that the proposed Child Benefit Allowance Programme should not be regarded as a handout but rather as a strategic national investment in the country’s future workforce, leadership and development.
He therefore called on the Government and other stakeholders to support the establishment of a transparent and sustainable Child Benefit Allowance Programme by 2030.
He also appealed to stakeholders, including the media, to support the advocacy campaign and help build public backing for policies that prioritised children’s welfare.
Mr Jay-Jay expressed optimism that with collective commitment and political will, Ghana could significantly reduce child poverty and provide every child with a fair start in life.
He said Child Support Ghana would continue engaging stakeholders across the country as part of its petition drive to secure support for the initiative ahead of its proposed implementation in 2030.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Atwemamena community and the management of Asafo Pechi M/A Basic School endorsed the campaign by signing the petition, describing the proposed programme as a potential game changer in addressing inequalities and the hardships faced by children in rural communities.
Mrs Christiana Nador, Assistant Headteacher of the school, said child poverty remained a daily reality in the community, with many children attending school barefoot and without uniforms, exercise books or adequate meals.
She said the proposed Child Benefit Allowance Programme, if implemented, would significantly improve the lives of children in rural communities by enabling more families to meet their children’s basic educational and nutritional needs.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Audrey Dekal