A 16-year-old girl, Monica Owusu Sekyere, who sleeps at the marketplace in Kantamanto, Accra, has disclosed that she fled from home at a young age to ‘smoke for Ghana.’
The teenager who spoke to the YouTube channel, SVTV Africa said she has been jobless since dropping out of school, disclosing that she fled from home at age 12.
“I quit school in class six while in Koforidua. I met some girls who told me to come to Accra and that I would get free food and have the freedom to do anything I wanted.
“When I got here, I had to sleep outside. I realised that I had the freedom to do what I wanted, so I decided to stay.”
According to Monica, her dream was to become a journalist or a nurse but confessed she can not pursue her dreams in her current state.
“I am jobless; I smoke for Ghana. I wanted to become a journalist or a nurse, but I can’t do that now. I’m planning to learn how to braid.”
Monica began smoking when she was 13 years old. She mentioned that she would like to quit smoking because it has not proven beneficial to her.
“It’s not easy here. It’s better to be jobless at home than on the streets. You can you stay here all day without food. Many think those outside have a place to sleep, but we sleep in stalls here at the market.
“If you’re as young as me, don’t listen to friends and join them on the streets,” Monica advised.