The Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has arrested 13 individuals for trafficking 29 children from Burkina Faso and parts of the Upper West Region to Seikwa, in the Bono Region, and other parts of the country to work on cocoa farms.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Upper West Regional Public Affairs Officer, Ibn Yussif Seidu. The statement indicated that 18 of the children were Burkinabes while 11 of them were Ghanaians.
Below is the full statement:
On Friday 22nd January, 2022, at about 12:30 HRS, a Sprinter Mini Bus with Registration Number GE 8700 – 12 carrying Forty-Two (42) arrived at the Babile inland post from Fielmuo. During profiling, it was discovered that there were Twenty Nine (29) Children aged between One and Thirteen suspected to have been trafficked by their adult assailants numbering 13 and aged between and Twenty-One (21) and Twenty-Three (23).
It was revealed that most of the biological parents of the suspected smuggled children were aware of their movement. The others were travelling with their half parents.
The suspected adult assailants admitted that they were carrying the minors to Seikwa to be given to cocoa farmers for child labour. Eighteen of the trafficked children were Burkinabes smuggled by Seven assailants while Eleven were Ghanaians smuggled by Six Ghanaian citizens.
As part of our efforts to clamp down on all forms of irregular migration the Upper West Regional Commander, CSI William Peter Andoh, tasked the respective commands in the region to apprehend anybody suspected to have been trafficked. He further instructed that child trafficking education must be a routine activity since most people are unaware of the legal consequences of the act.
The journey of both the suspected smuggled children and their assailants ended at the Babile inland post. The Ghanaians were sent back to Fielmuo and handed over to the Chief and Assemblyman for reintegration with their family.
The Lawra Municipal Commander, ASI Kingsley Aggyekum-hene cautioned their parents to desist from such practices as it is against the Laws of the State.
On the other hand, the Burkinabes were sent out for reunification with their parents on caution.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
