15 child slaves rescued in Volta Region

Anti-Child and human trafficking Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) Challenging Heights has rescued 15 more children from slavery in the Volta region.

The rescue operation which took place over the weekend was in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Navy, and the Department of Social Welfare as the children were being made to work on the Volta Lake by their slave masters.

The children, according to the Organisation, were sold for GH¢ 50-100 by their parents.

The rescued children comprised; three girls and 12 boys between the ages of five and 17 and were operating within the fishing villages of Nkwanta and Dambai.

All the children have been sent to the Rehabilitation Centre of Challenging Heights for the purposes of Recovery and Care.

Over the years, Challenging Heights has been in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) with respect to rescue, policies and national advocacy aimed at putting an end to Child Trafficking in Ghana.

Challenging Heights works in several communities across Ghana, to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate children who have been affected by worst forms of child labour, including trafficking in person.

The Organisation, which launched its 5-year strategic plan to end child trafficking in the fishing industry at the beginning of this year, is also involved with the provision of livelihoods training and support for several hundreds of women.

The organization has so far rescued over 1,600 children from the Lake Volta since it was established 12 years ago.