Our children need better future
The Daily Graphic in its Wednesday, July 23, 2025, issue, reported that some basic school pupils in parts of the Volta Region were now skipping classes to work as labourers on marijuana plantations for very low wages.
The President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs (VRHC), Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, at a general meeting of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in Ho, described the situation as dreadful, saying the trend painted a very bleak future for the region.
Togbe Hodo IV, who is the Paramount Chief of Anfoega, said young people were cultivating the weed with impunity on plantations in Vakpo and Wusuta in the North Dayi District and Gbefi in the Kpando Municipality.
He revealed that the plantations were spreading rapidly, and that the region risked losing “normal young people” sooner or later.
“Some of the children are offered the substance to smoke on the farms, and once addiction sets in, they will definitely drift off course.”
The story of basic school children abandoning school to farm on marijuana farms at Vakpo and Wusuta in the North Dayi District and Gbefi in the Kpando Municipality of the Volta Region is worrying.
The basic school years of a child’s life, the formative stage, are where the child is expected to grasp the foundation of education.
Therefore, if children abandon school in the formative stage of their education and rather choose to go and work and not just any work, but to be involved in hazardous work such as farming on marijuana plantations, then it should be a cause of concern for all.
Presently, the Narcotics Control Commission Act only permits the cultivation of certain species of marijuana under licence for medicinal and industrial purposes and not for recreation.
The Daily Graphic believes that when children choose work over school, it can have severe and long-lasting effects on their lives.
Some potential consequences include limited future opportunities, such as limited job prospects and lower earning potential, making it harder for them to escape poverty.
Also, without education, children may be restricted to low-skilled, low-wage jobs with limited opportunities for advancement.
Dropping out of school also has social and emotional effects on children. It may lead to lost social connections and friendships, potentially causing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
They may also experience increased stress and anxiety due to the pressures of working at a young age.
Cultivating marijuana farms can be considered hazardous work, as the children might end up smoking the stuff, which may expose them to drug abuse.
Without the right interventions, these children can become vulnerable to exploitation, such as being used for vigilante activities or armed robbery.
We should address the issue before it is too late because that can be detrimental to the development of the country.
If children consider themselves to be poor and decide to work to better their lot, they are rather perpetuating the cycle of poverty, making it harder for them to break free from economic hardship.
The effects of children abandoning school for work can also impact future generations, as educated parents are more likely to prioritise education for their own children.
We call on the various traditional councils in the affected areas and the government to address the root causes of children abandoning school for work, such as poverty and the lack of access to education
This is crucial in preventing these negative consequences and promoting a brighter future for vulnerable youth.
The Daily Graphic backs the call by Togbe Hodo IV on law enforcement agencies to step in immediately to curb the menace.
When children become social misfits, they become a burden on their families, communities and society.
