Police intercept minors being sold into slavery

The Police Anti- Human Trafficking Unit in collaboration with Challenging Heights, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has intercepted 33 children being trafficked to Yeji at Bunso Junction.

The group, 11 boys and 19 girls aged between three and 17 years, one 18-year- old girl, and 19 and a 22-year-old young men who claimed to be traveling to the Brong-Ahafo Region.

Briefing the press at Koforidua the Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer of the Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Yaw Nketia-Yeboah, said the children were in different vehicles.

He said the children, who were in groups, were coming from Ada, Ningo, Dowenya, Tema, Sogakope, Jita, Tefle and other communities along the coast.

ASP Nketia-Yeboah said during this time of the year children are trafficked to various parts of the country especially the fishing communities along the Volta Lake.

He said when the children were interviewed some claimed they were going to their parents to collect their school fees while others said they were going to their parents to spend the school vacation .

ASP Nketia-Yeboah said the Police were conducting investigations to screen the children and advised parents not to allow their children to travel alone for long distances without any elderly persons accompanying them because the children could be exposed to a lot of dangers.

He appealed to drivers, passengers and Ghanaians to notify the police of any minor who is travelling alone or travelling in the company of a person suspected not to be their relative.

Mr. James Kofi Annan, the President of Challenging Heights, Ghana said there are over 21,000 children in slavery at Yeji as a result of child trafficking.

He said so far his outfit had been able to save 1,200 children from slavery.

Superintendent of Police Patience Quaye, the Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Police Service, said the unit is faced with challenges such as an initial support to be given to the victims like food, water, clothing and shelter to enable them to settle down before any interrogation.

She also complained about court cases involving child traffickers and said such cases took a long time by the courts which takes a long time even when the evidence is clear and called for support from the Ministry for Gender, Women and Children.