As the world observes the World Day Against Child Labour, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has released concerning figures that reveal nearly 900,000 children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in paid work across the country. The report sheds light on a disturbing trend: 56% of these child laborers are boys, and nearly half a million children are missing out on education. Among them, 68,500 have never set foot in a classroom, while 389,943 had previously attended school but no longer do.
According to the 2023 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey, more than 1.1 million children in this age range were involved in some form of work during the final quarter of 2023. A significant portion—about 893,000—were engaged in paid employment.
The statistics highlight a stark urban-rural divide, with 72% of child laborers residing in rural areas compared to just 28% in urban settings. Regionally, the Ashanti Region has the highest percentage of working children at 13.6%, closely followed by Bono East (12.1%) and the Northern Region (11.8%). On the flip side, regions like Ahafo (0.8%), Greater Accra (1.6%), and Western North (1.8%) report the lowest rates.
Breaking down the types of work these children are involved in, the report shows that 35.4% provide family help, 31.2% work on farms, 11.7% are unpaid trainees, and 7.3% engage in production for personal use. The rest are involved in non-farm work (6.2%), wage work (5.3%), and domestic or apprentice roles (2.9%).
When it comes to job roles, 60.4% of these children are in elementary occupations, followed by 19.8% in crafts and trades, and 17.7% in agriculture-related fields. Smaller percentages are found in services and sales (1.7%) and machine operation (0.2%).
The services sector employs the overwhelming majority (91.7%) of these children, while agriculture and industry account for 4.8% and 3.6%, respectively. The GSS report serves as a sobering reminder of the widespread issue of child labour in Ghana, especially in rural areas. Addressing this challenge will be key to ensuring the nation’s children have access to education and a brighter future.
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