NGO partners Bible Society, churches to end child trafficking – Graphic Online

The International Justice Mission (IJM), a not-for-profit organisation, is collaborating with the Bible Society of Ghana and churches across the country to end child trafficking.

The collaboration, which is dubbed: “Freedom Sunday”, aims at creating awareness of human trafficking and also getting the church to speak out against the evils perpetuated by those engaging in the act.

To that end, members of the NGO and its partners visit churches every Sunday or days designated for worship to engage members on the need to collaborate to end the menace, considered as modern day slavery.

Speaking at the Divine Healer's Church at Anyamam, near Ada Foah in the Ada West District, last Sunday, the National Director for Advocacy and Partnerships for IJM, Ghana, Worlanyo Forster, bemoaned the fact that child trafficking was prevalent in many coastal areas.

Mr Forster expressed worry that some of those parents who were complicit in those crimes, did not value their children but rather aimed to profit from them by selling them off to engage in fishing activities at very tender ages.

While referencing the scriptures, he stressed the need for parents to view children as heritages who must be protected.

Near-death experience

One of the survivors of child trafficking, Lawrence Baffloe, while sharing his experience with the congregants, recounted a traumatic moment when he was left to hold on to his dear life while floating on the Akosombo lake for four hours after the canoe he was riding in capsized.

“When I was six years old, my uncle came for me to work with him on the Akosombo Lake. We had to work each day from 4 p.m. till the following morning with just an hour intermittent break.

“One day, while fishing on the lake, the boat capsised. At that moment, I knew that was my end. From 12 am to 4 am, we were just floating on the lake until we were rescued by another canoe,” he said.

He advised parents to make a conscious effort of raising their children as best as they could, regardless of the meagre income they made.

Caution

The Senior Lead for Church Mobilisation at the IJM, Eugene Zuta, cautioned parents who engaged in the crime of child trafficking to desist or face the full rigours of the law.

‘Even if they are your children, for as long as you are taking them out for exploitation, the law will deal with you,” he cautioned.

He encouraged the congregants to partner IJM in combating child trafficking and urged them to report any phenomenon to the police or contact the offices of IJM for support.

Saving lives

Speaking in an interview, the Head Pastor of the Anyamam Assembly of the Divine Healer's Church, John Opata, said the church was mandated to save lives and engage in charitable deeds.

“Christianity is about saving lives and sharing the good things you have with them. So, it is our responsibility to be able to save our children from child trafficking,” he added.