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General News of Sunday, 7 September 2008

Concern over increasing rate of child trafficking


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Axim (W/R), Sept. 7, GNA - The Police have expressed concern about the
increasing rate at which child trafficking across the country's borders,
especially to Cote D' Ivoire was taking place. The Nzema-East Municipal Police
Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Dan Ohene-Djan said this in
an interview with the GNA at Axim.

He said to ascertain claims by traffickers that the children given to them by
their relatives to be sent to their parents who are migrant fishermen, the
police would follow the suspected traffickers to the points of destination of
the children.

ASP Ohene-Djan observed that recent child trafficking cases in the Western
Region at Half Assini, Nyamebekyere and Kwesimintsim were sources of worry to
the Security Officers. He said in most cases the traffickers claimed that the
children were given to them by their relatives without any proof authorizing the
traffickers to undertake that assignment.

According to the Police Commander, the security officers do not intend to
prevent children from going to their parents, but it is an offence to be
trafficked out of the country.

ASP Ohene-Djan said in one of the trafficking cases a driver, Anthony Arthur and
his mate, Kwesi Ahanta were arrested at the custom cum Police checkpoint at
Nyamebekyere popularly called '32', carrying 10 children between the ages of 6
and 16 in a container vehicle. He said the driver and his mate told the Police
that the children were given to them to be sent to their families in La Cote
D'Ivoire. ASP Ohene-Djan appealed to the government to resource the Domestic
Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), which normally handled such cases
with vehicles to enable them do thorough investigations on such matters.



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