the GIS which revealed that children as young as 3 (three) years were being given out to traffickers by their parents. These children are then transferred and transported to other Regions and neighbouring Countries including the Gambia, Cameroun, Nigeria, Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire to work as house helps, chop bar servers and Hotel cleaners.
In a statement to launch the project, the District Commander for Winneba, DSI Mary L. Amo-Richmond, who intitiated the Project said, the survey discovered that, parents sold their children for fees ranging between fifty [GH¢50.00] and two hundred Ghana cedis [GH¢200.00] identifying economic hardship and poor living standards as the cause.
She said, the GIS and its Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit [AHSTIP], the Migration Information Bureau [MIB] with support from Project Abroad and Challenging Heights, both Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), have collaborated in dealing with the menace at the Effutu Municipality and its environs. She further stated that, due to poor living conditions, parents naively gave out their children with the promise and optimism for economic gains.
The Head of Migration Information Bureau [MIB], ACOI Belinda Adwoa Sika Anim said, human trafficking is a crime against humanity according to the Human Trafficking Act, 2005, while appealing to parents to put a stop to this activity. She also urged the general public to assist the GIS by providing information on people who engage in this criminal act in the society for the law to deal with them accordingly.The representative of Project Abroad, Ms. Tara Nazaryan, was optimistic that the Project would achieve its intended objective to reduce and possibly stop the menace in the communities.
The Omanhene of Winneba, Effutu traditional area, Nana Nenyi Ghartey, was full of appreciation to the GIS and to the District Commander for their insight and initiative in assisting the community rescue itself from the phenomenon.
The Municipal Chief Executive [MCE] of Winneba, Hon. Nii Ephram, appealed to parents to desist from this heinous act which has the tendency of living the children traumatized for the rest of their lives. He advised against deviant behavior and truant attitude by some children and attributed this to parental neglect. He charged parents to bring up their children to be better adults to serve their communities in the future.
Some activities that would be organized during the three-year project would include capacity building and training workshops for some stakeholders namely the Social Welfare Department, the CHRAJ and the Municipal Education Service. While, sensitization programmes would be held for parents in communities such as Sankor, Fetteh, Dwoma, Worabeba, Abasraba, Ayipe, Atekyedo, Penkye, Pokor Ekyire, Ndaabma Eguaboano and Akosua village and Esuakyir.
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