Geneva Global (GG) and Free
the Slaves (FTS), both international Non-Governmental Organizations working to prevent and address child trafficking in mining and fishing areas in Ghana, on Thursday urged government not to immediately begin the prosecution of child traffickers until they are queried as to how they got the children and where their parents were.
They said such vital information could help trace parents of such trafficked children to make for effective reintegration.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at the end of a quarterly capacity building meeting in Accra, Mr Emmanuel Otoo, West Africa Regional Coordinator of Free the Slaves, said immediate prosecution of master traffickers put the interests of the children in danger.
The meeting brought together 25 participants drawn from partner organizations of the GG and FTS to share experience and strategize on how to effectively combat the canker and prevent child labour in the fishing and mining areas.
Mr Otoo said despite efforts to eliminate worst forms of child labour, the practice continued to exist.
He drew attention of the partners to the issue of modern day slavery adding that apart from the hazardous mining activities, some of the trafficked children were also made to go into commercial exploitation which exposed them to risks.
Mr Otoo called on partners to conduct further investigation and research into the issues of child labour and slavery to enable the GG and FTS as well as civil society and Government to enhance intervention packages to deal with the problem.
He pledged the preparedness of FTS to collaborate with government and other stakeholders to find sustainable solution to the issue.
Madam Louise Makau-Barasa, GG Programme Director in-charge of Central, West Africa and the Caribbean Regions, said GG and FTS were committed to unlocking the potential of the trafficked children and to protect them from risks.
She called for a holistic approach and active participation of all stakeholders including government to effectively combat the practice.
Mr George Achiba, Executive Director of PACODEP, a local partner of GG at Kete-Krachi in the Volta Region, said his organization had rescued over 250 trafficked children and reintegrated them into their families.
Mr Achiba said the PACODEP had also been involved in supporting parents in "sending communities" to venture into income generating activities to be able to cater for their children.
He reminded parents to remain committed to their roles of taking care of their children and not to hide behind poverty and negative cultural practices to give out their children to traffickers who enticed them with some items.
The partners include Social Services Foundation, Challenging Heights, Prolink, Association of People for Practical Life Education, PACODEP, Rescue Foundation.