Engage Now Africa and a number of institutions have rescued and reunified 25 trafficked children with their families in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region.
The institutions are the Ada East District Ghana Police Service, Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Education Service Ada East and the National Commission for Civic Education.
They also held a Community Stakeholders Forum (CSF).
CSF is an effective practical approach to engaging communities on child trafficking and child labour to equip them with the necessary knowledge to help them become aware of such issues.
Information gathered by Engage Now Africa indicated that the 25 children were trafficked from Ada East District to Ekye Amanfrom (Afram plains) Akosombo, Akate and Kpetoi (lsland) for the purpose of exploitation on the Volta lake.
Mr. Afasi Komla, Director of End Modern Slavery (EMS) disclosed to the media after the mission that they acted very fast in rescuing the victims upon a tip-off they received from a good Samaritan.
Mr. Afasi said his outfit has provided the 25 victims with educational needs, health needs and also gave their parents Sustainable Livelihood Support so that they could take good care of their kids.
He added that they have been in various communities to rescue victims affected by human trafficking because “we are living in modern slavery cases without even knowing that such practices still exist”.
He advised the public to be responsible citizens and ensure that “we do not employ child labourers”.
Mrs. Elizabeth Hammand-Agyeman, Ada East District Head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) stated that development starts with family through unity, “and we must understand that government can not do everything for us, so we also have to be doing something to help ourselves and that of our children.”
She said planning on the number of children one should give birth to is the surest way of preventing human trafficking issues.
She indicated that government is also part of childbearing which is why “they build schools, hospitals, etc to ensure that everyone can get access to his/her basic needs”.
Mrs. Hammond-Agyeman advised the victims’ parents not to misuse the monies given to them, but rather they should take very good care of it and use it for the intended purpose.
A representative of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit urged the victims’ parents not to let their wards do tedious work because such requests from them are against the law and if they are found guilty, the law will deal with them.
She promised to give her maximum support to the victims by protecting their lives.
An additional 29 victims have been identified and work is ongoing to rescue them.
