ABSTRACT

Street hawking by children is a universal phenomenon. It is practiced by children in both industrialized and developing countries of the world. It is one of the most important labor problems which attract a lot of attention. In the traditional African societies, Street hawking by Children was not a common phenomenon and therefore does not constitute a serious problem. Today, street hawking by children in Nigeria is a very common phenomenon especially in urban areas such as Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Kano and Maiduguri. Children involvement in street hawking has the potentials of corrupting children in many ways. Street hawking has devastating effect on the education of children who practice it. It distorts government policies on education due to high dropout rate from schools. Under aged boys become member of delinquent sub-culture and soon graduate into robbery. Majority of girls who hawk along major roads and streets are at the mercy of rapist and child traffickers. The child hawkers are exposed to different type of health problems, accident, physical stress, kidnapping, and so on. This study looks at the causes and consequences of street hawking. The participants were one hundred (100) respondents. The study adopted multi-stage sampling techniques using Cluster sampling method, simple random and systematic sampling techniques for the study. The results show poverty motivated them to hawk, as a social factor it is the reason that most parents send out their children to hawk. Due to poor standard of living and the high level of inflation, it was found out also that rural areas happen to be the areas with most cases of street hawking. Based on the finding it was recommended there is an immense need for government to made laws at various levels which prohibit street hawking. This will help stop parents from sending their children to hawk during school hours.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the study   .....................................................................1

1.2 Statement of research problem    ……………………………………...4

1.3 Research question……………………………………………….……….7

1.4 Research objectives  ………………………………………………...….7       

1.5 Significance of the study    ……………………………………………..8

1.6 Scope of the study             ……………………………………………..8

1.7 Hypothesis     …………………………………………………………...9

1.8 Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………….9

CHAPTER TWO                           

LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.0 Introduction    ………………………………………………………....11

2.1 The Nature Of Street Hawking……...………………………………….11

2.2 Factors Responsible For Street Hawking Among Children In Nigeria.... 16

2.3 social Factor That Influence Street Hawking ……………………....... 17

2.4 Economic Factor That Influence Street Hawking ………………..…….21     

2.5 The Consequences Of Street Hawking…………………………………..23

2.6 Controlling The Incidence Of Juvenile Street Hawking …………………26

2.7 Theoretical Framework      ………………………………………..…… 28

2.7..1    Weberian Social Action Theory….………………………………….….28

2.7.2   Application Of The Theory ……………………………………………. 31

CHAPTER THREE

Methodology

3.0 Introduction: ……………………………………………………………34

3.1 Location of the study        ………………………….………………………..34

3.2 Study Population and Sampling technique    ………………………........35

3.3 Types and Source of Data ………………………………………………..36

3.4 Variable of the Study …………………………………………………….37

3.5 Method of data collection.  ……………………………………………..37

3.6 6Method of data analysis     ……………..……………………………….38

3.7 Problems encountered in the field          ………………………….……………38

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.0 Introduction   ……………………………………………………………..40

4.1 Socio- demographic characteristics of respondents ………...………….40

4.2 Nature of Street Hawking  ..........................................................................42

4.3 Factors Responsible for Street Hawking        ….……………………………….43

4.4 Consequence of Street Hawking  ……..……………………………………46

4.5Solution of Street Hawking …………………………………………………..49

4.6 Hypothesis Testing …………………………………………………………51

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary of findings         .....................................................................................56

5.2 Conclusion     ………………………………………………………………57

5.4 Recommendations   ………………………………..……………………….58

REFERENCES    ………………………………………………………………..60