According to the Minister, the move to list some households in the District, especially in the Awutu-Senya Township, was to reduce poverty confronting certain parents who are compelled to indulge in selling their children into slavery. 

Madam Djaba announced this at a ceremony to mark the World Day against Human Trafficking at Awutu-Senya in the Central Region. It was the theme: “Stakeholders, Let Us Unite to end Human Trafficking; Take Action Now”.She gave the assurance that under the Government, led by President Akufo-Addo, the chiefs and people of Awutu-Senya would be empowered economically to improve their living standards.

Madam Djaba said special human development programmes, aimed at improving living conditions, would be rolled out soon to provide vocational and technical skills training for women at Awutu-Senya to help them become self-reliant.

She stated that the Ministry, in collaboration with Non Governmental Organisations and other security agencies, rescued 105 children on the Volta Lake who were about to be transported to fishing communities by some unscrupulous persons.

Madam Djaba said 600 children were also prevented by the security services from being sent into slavery to do fishing, which was against the right of the child. She stated that 40 perpetrators, allegedly arrested for engaging in human trafficking and other child-trafficking acts, were awaiting prosecution and cautioned parents and others involve in those crimes to stop before the law catches up with them.

She advised parents not to allow poverty to force them into selling their children for only 30 and 40 Ghana cedis that could prevent the education and the general wellbeing of the child. Madam Djaba said the parents would not have room to complain for non-payment of fees now that basic and high school education were going to be free from next academic calendar, which begins in September this year.

Neenyi George Andah, the Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya West, and Deputy Minister of Communications, called on students to form anti-human trafficking clubs to enable them to be abreast of the issues and the dangers of child-trafficking.

He urged parents and guardians to take full advantage of the “Free Senior High School” and other social interventions being implemented by the Government to reduce poverty. Neenyi Andah assured the people of Awutu-Senya that government was committed to constructing a landing wharf at Senya to create jobs and halt migration of the youth. Mr Charles Owiredu, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said the Ministry had received numerous phone calls from Ghanaians, especially young women, who had travelled to Gulf States to seek greener pastures and were being ill treated.

He cautioned members of the public to be vigilant in order not to fall prey to those pranks.

Other Speakers were Mr Ato Cudjoe, the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Mr Stephen Kwame Quaye , District Chief Executive for Awutu-Senya West, Dr Emma Hemanoo, Lecturer at Social Work, University of Ghana, Neenyi Kwamena Nkwanta II, Acting Omanhene of Senya Traditional Council, and Mr James Kofi Annan, Chief Executive Officer of Challenging Heights, a Non-Governmental Organisation .