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.
Source: GhanaWeb
