GHANA: Ten Kumasi Communities named Child Trafficking Destinations


[GHANA, 19 September 2007] Ten communities in the Kumasi Metropolis have been identified as destination points for child trafficking.

The Defence for Children International (DCI-Ghana), a children's rights organisation in Kumasi and Social Research Associates (SRA), a research firm in Accra have revealed.

The communities are Sawaba, Bantama Race Course, Adum-Pampaso, Aboabo Number One and Two, Asawasi, Moshie-Zongo, Asafo, Buokrom and Fanti New Town.

Dr George Oppong Ampong, Executive Secretary of the DCI-Ghana, made this known at a meeting with the Committee against Child Trafficking in Kumasi on Tuesday.

He said child trafficking has been a menace for a long time and despite continuous education by many organisations, the problem still existed.

Dr Ampong said it was the responsibility of the Committee to educate people in such communities, to protect children from hazardous labour and to enable them to play meaningful roles in development.

He announced that the child trafficking project jointly being undertaken by the DCI and the SRA would be inaugurated in Kumasi on October 10 this 2007, to sensitise the people on the dangers in child trafficking and labour and the need to halt the situation.

He appealed to the Committee to evolve effective campaign strategies and tools to help curb the problem.

Mr Matthew Dally, National Programme Co-ordinator in-charge of Combating Child Trafficking in West and Central Africa, said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and its development partners including Ghana have been actively engaged in programmes to address the menace.

He assured that the ILO and development partners would help in building the capacities of stakeholders to halt child trafficking.

Mr Francis Kwansah, Kumasi Metropolitan Labour Officer and Chairman of the Committee, appealed to the DCI and SRA to equip his outfit to help and guide them in the performance of their duties.

pdf: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/200709/8787.asp

Country: 
Issues: 
Violence: 

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.