GLOMEF CEO calls for an End to Child  Labour and Trafficking on Volta Lake

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has issued a clarion call for a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to end the growing menace of child labour and trafficking on the Volta Lake.

Describing the condition of children working under hazardous and inhumane conditions on the lake as “dangerous and unacceptable,” he stressed the urgency for national collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs), international partners, and communities.

Mr. Ahenu made the call during a one-day stakeholder engagement held in Sunyani to screen and discuss a thought-provoking video documentary titled: “Beyond the Nets”, which is focused on the lives of residents of marginalised communities and child labour on the Volta Lake where children work with adults in fishing.

The event was organised by GLOMEF in partnership with the University of Bristol, UK and Freedom Islands Right and Social Transformation (FIRST). It aimed to improve public understanding of the circumstances that drive children’s fishing work in these communities and advocate for support for more responsible responses to the problem.

Opening the conversation, Mr Ahenu cited data from the Ghana Statistical Service that highlighted the grim reality that approximately 21% of children aged 5-17 in Ghana are involved in child labour, with 14% engaged in hazardous work. The problem is most pronounced in rural areas, where nearly one in three children (30.2%) are affected, compared to 12.4% in urban centres.

“The government institutions responsible for dealing with the menace of child labour and child trafficking in Ghana must be up and doing. The Ministry of Local Government; Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education must work together and also involve the NGOs, CSOs and community leaders to address the menace”, Mr. Ahenu emphasized. He called for government intervention programmes to support parents of affected children to set up their own small scale businesses.

Mr. George Yaw Ankoma, the Bono Regional Director of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), stressed that “children must not only be seen, but must also be heard in society.” He called for robust protection mechanisms at all levels and warned that practices such as child trafficking, child marriage, and abuse must be eradicated.

“Perpetrators must be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others,” he noted, urging parents and society to inculcate strong moral and cultural values in children and never deny them their right to education.

On behalf of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr. Benjamin Siripi Quartson, Deputy Bono Regional Director, commended GLOMEF and its partners for their consistent advocacy and interventions. He linked high rates of absenteeism and classroom fatigue to underlying issues of child labour, reinforcing the need for decisive action. Mr. Quartson said the GES was doing its maximum best to ensure every child of school going age has access to education irrespective of their geographical locations.

Dr. Sam Okyere, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol, UK, which has collaborated with GLOMEF for over a decade, revealed that some organisations seeking to rescue children they consider to be trafficked rather cause harm to these children and their families. He observed that many working Ghanaian children are “brilliant but underprivileged,” stating that their potential remains untapped due to a lack of opportunities. With the right support for parents and families, working children can thrive in school and other development activities.

Echoing the key message of the film, Dr. Okyere, who has conducted extensive research on NGO intervention against child trafficking and child labour urged the stakeholders to reject anti trafficking “rescue missions”. Instead, he called for social welfare interventions derived from meaningful dialogue and collaborations with working children, their parents and communities.

The stakeholders present all agreed with this point. They expressed their appreciation for the new understanding and more balanced perspective, which they had gained after watching the film and hearing the associated research findings. They unanimously accepted the call for a change in approach based on the lessons learnt at the forum.

Beyond applying this understanding in their own areas of work, the diverse stakeholders also collectively urged the government, traditional leaders, religious groups, parents, educators, and the media to intensify advocacy and practical efforts to safeguard Ghanaian children from any form of exploitation, whether this is caused by child labour or by the efforts of those seeking to address this problem.

“The children on Volta Lake are not just statistics; they are future leaders whose rights and dignity must be protected,” Dr Okyere stated.

By Edmond Gyebi 

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