MoGCSP holds two-day capacity training for officers in Cooperative Department 

Human Trafficking Secretariat under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and Expertise France and the leadership of the Department of cooperative has commenced two days of capacity-building training for cooperatives officers in Ghana.

The capacity training which kicks start today at Credit Unions Trading Centre, Kasoa aimed at building the capacity of Cocoa Cooperatives in Ghana, including staff of the department of social welfare, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, and officers of the Cocoa Board.

The training is also meant to educate participants on the international and national legal framework in the fight against human trafficking as well as on the indicators and principles for referral and management of cases of trafficking.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Deputy Director of Human Trafficking Secretariat, Ms Sena Owusu-Gibson said the Ministry and its other stakeholders are not resting on their oars in the fight against human trafficking.

She noted that due to the various forms of poverty, Africa has been caught in the dilemma of either keeping the child in school, enlisting them in skills acquisition or pushing them out onto the farms or onto the streets to work to fend for themselves and also help supplement family incomes.

"Let us always remember that there can be no justifiable reason for engaging and endangering the lives of our children on our farms, factories, offices etc and especially in tasks that do not bring them any beneficial permanence. Despite all the interventions put in place by government and Civil Society Organizations to keep children from being exploited, some unscrupulous individuals continue to breach the laws and employ children on cocoa farms due to their need for cheap labour," she stated.

The Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Mr William Kwashie Darlie in his remarks noted that the issue of labour exploitation and forced labour, especially children on cocoa farms, particularly in Ghana, have been the subject of discussion in the international community for some time now.

According to him, the Department of Cooperatives, as mandated by the Cooperative Societies Decree 252 of 1968 is in charge of sensitization, registration, auditing, inspection and arbitration of cooperatives but are often neglected and unnoticed.

He, therefore, commended EU and Expertise France’s gesture in facilitating the training of staff of the Department.

He urged all participants to attach seriousness to and pay rapt attention to the various facilitators so as to go back after the training with an enhanced capacity in the new area of work.

On his part, Serge Akpalou, Expertise France project manager in Ghana, said his outfit is committed to supporting the government in the fight against human trafficking.

He noted that the two days workshop will enable the officers to have a better understanding and knowledge of human trafficking in the cocoa industry and be well-equipped to identify and effectively collaborate with the actors involved in the referral and care of victims of trafficking.

"The fight against human trafficking cannot be done by the Government alone but all stakeholders need to be involved. Today we are gathered here for the first of two sensitization and capacity-building training for Cocoa Cooperatives in Ghana, with the next batch to be held in Kumasi.

"Children are being exploited for cheap labour to do hazardous work in cocoa on farms due to poverty and these education and sensitization programs are important to educate stakeholders on the negative effects hazardous work has on the development of children", he explained.