Old fadama
The town seems to
shelter people of all countries and ages. It is a town where we can find one of
the biggest scrap sites in Ghana and scrap business seems to be the most
lucrative, easiest, common and most open to all as children are seen there too.
Scraps are waste products usually metals
that are recyclable. One who deals in scraps either gathers them or buys them.
More often, those who gather them are more at risk as some of these wastes will
have to go through burning processes to obtain the actual material or scrap.
The environmental condition under which this is done makes us ask the question:
ARE THEY HEALTHY?
The sites of two
young brothers reveal the danger and health problems associated with this kind
of job. With emotions and tears running down his face, the younger who is eight
years old, discloses that for a day, he earns ghc2.oo, which he gives to his
mother when he gets back home. Although it has only been a short while since he
started this job, his eye colour has changed from its original state to reddish
brown. He explains this is not the only problem with the eye; there are
times it itched. According to him, he has told his
mother time without number but with no remedy as a result of the same problem
which has driven him to such a job or place;money.
.
Ramdan is an 18
years old immigrant from Togo. ‘This is where I work’ he said. During the day,
Ramdan gathers some scraps and sells it out to buyers before the day gets
older. ‘At most i earn ghc 15.00’
he added. According to Ramdan, he is into this business so he can save enough
money to buy some items he needs as a mechanic in Togo, a job he has been into
since he was six years. He lives in Ghana with an auntie. Concerning his
health, Ramdan explains he has no health issues now although from the he used
to have some headaches when he began the job. To him, those headaches were
normal and have nothing to do with his job.
Earnings from the
site seems to be based on age, hard work and how much /many scraps an
individual gathers in a day. Joshua is a 15years old boy from Nigeria. As
compared to Ramdan, he earns ghc 3.00, spends ghc1.00 a day and saves ghc 2.00
with a microfinance collector (Susu collector). Joshua lives with eleven (11) other
boys in a room. According to him, he needs money so he could go to Nigeria and
see his mother all by himself since his father for long has refused him the
opportunity. Joshua is at this site without any family member’s knowledge. At
the genesis of the job, he explains he had some headaches which he experiences
no more. Just like Ramdan, he thinks this has nothing to do with the job. To
cure the headache, he will also simply go to the pharmaceutical shop and get a
pain reliever. He is okay after taking the drug given him.
Apart from these
two brothers whose presence and story have revealed the dangers associated with
the scrap job, all others who have been interviewed have only complained of
headaches. They seem not to realize the dangers associated with this business.
This seems to be as a result of the fact that they are used to the
environmental conditions. With smoke all over the place one cannot help but to conclude
that these headaches are as a result of the surroundings and the conditions
under which they work.