At least six people have been arrested by the police in two separate operations over recruitment and exploitation of children at Scalen and Njare, fishing communities in the Krachi East Municipal.
In all six minors between the ages of eight and 16 have been rescued by the police
The suspects are Michael Amedzeke Robert, 24, who is suspected to have trafficked the victims from Battor in the Volta Region, Kofi Hormekey, 48, Samuel Wornumawu, 36; Nterim Boanyi, 26, Mawuko Anagli Albert, 73 and Hammond Teye Ametepe
The operation was conducted by the Oti Regional Anti Human Trafficking Unit with support from International Justice Mission and Dambai Social Welfare Office.
The acting Public Relations Officer of the Oti Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Nchor disclosed these to the GhanaianTimes in a telephone interview yesterday.
He said last Friday at about 2:00pm a report was received by the police that three victims between the ages of eight and 12 were rescued at Scalen near Dambai and suspect Amedzeke apprehended to assist in investigations.
ASP Nchor said the other incident occurred last Sunday at about 3:00pm where the team rescued three minors aged between 13 and 16 years in Njari near Dambai and Hormekey, Wornumawu and Boanyi were arrested for their roles in the recruitment, trafficking and exploitation of the victims from Dawa near Abotoase in the Volta Region.
He said during investigations Albert and Ametepe who were suspected to be the brain behind the trafficking in the community were also arrested to assist in investigations.
Meanwhile, ASP Nchor stated that the victims have been taken to a temporal shelter.
He said human trafficking was a crime punishable by law and urged parents to desist from given out their children to work in such areas.
ASP Nchor appealed to the public in such communities to report persons who engage in such negative practice.
He assured that the exercise would be ongoing by the police to clamp down on the exploitation and the use of minors for such practices.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
