Children resort to potholes filling to earn a living.

Bogoso (W/R), Nov. 29, GNA - Many children of school going age have resorted to filling potholes on some highways in the Western Region as a mean of earning a living.

Even though the practice could be found in most districts in the region, this is more evident on the Tarkwa/Bogoso road whose condition had so much deteriorated as a result of continuous rainfall. The use of the road by articulated trucks and heavy mining equipment also contributed to the un-motorable condition of the road. During a recent trip to the area the Ghana News Agency found children aged between eight and 15 years busily filling potholes in communities along the road including Yareyeya, Akoto, Kofi-Gyan, Samahu Afamase, Bawdie and Gogoso.

They used old and worn-out tools and implements such as hoes, pickaxes, shovels, cutlasses and pans of different shapes and sizes to scoop earth along the road to fill the potholes.

They signaled and directed motorists to use the repaired portions of the road and then begged for tips.

Kofi Amankwa, 13 years, and a primary six pupil at Afamase, said he and his group earned between two and five Ghana cedis a day and shared the money after the day's job.

He said he used part of his share to buy food, clothing and books. Charles Antwi, 15, who is a junior high school pupil at Akoto, admitted that they exposed themselves to danger in view of the increase in the number of accidents on that road but their job enabled them to make some earnings to support the home.

He said they planned so that the potholes filling exercise did not interfere with school hours.

The road is a portion of the highway used to transport most of the cocoa and timber produced in the Western Region to the Takoradi Harbour for export.