Awuni worried over trafficking of children… Calls on chiefs to support police curb practice

The Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Anwubutoge Awuni, has expressed grave concern about the rate at which children are being trafficked in and around Salaga and Makango in the East Gonja District, and has thus challenged the chiefs and people in the area to look out for persons aiding and abetting in the trafficking.

Even though several advocacies and attempts have been made by the East Gonja District Assembly, and other human rights activists, to reverse the situation, it keeps increasing day after day, as some irresponsible parents still deem it profitable to sell their children out to aliens.

The majority of these children, mostly girls, according to reports, are sent to the neighbouring countries and the big cities in Ghana, where they are forced into child prostitution, petty trading and other menial jobs.

They are not only denied formal education and access to their basic or fundamental human rights, but are also denied their little entitlements by their masters.

However, the Northern Regional Police Commander is of the view that concerted efforts from the security agencies, traditional authorities, district assemblies and the public, would be the surest way to arrest the child trafficking menace in the area.

He also called for public sensitization fora to disabuse the minds of those irresponsible parents who engage their children in the activity.

“Our children also deserve better education and better standards of living to become responsible adults in future,” he said.

ACP Awuni expressed the concern when he paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Kpembe Traditional Area, Kpembewura Kibasibi I, at Salaga, as part of his familiarisation tour of police offices in the Northern Region.

He also visited the Nanumba North and South districts.

He commended the district assemblies for housing the police in modern facilities in the areas.

He however asked the people to go beyond that, by partnering with the police to nip the incidence of child trafficking, which was on the increase in the Makango areas.

ACP Awuni later interacted with the district chief executives of East Gonja and Nanumba North on how to effectively collaborate to combat crime and maintain peace and security in the areas.

He also addressed police personnel at Salaga, Chamba and Bimbilla, and applauded them for accepting to work in those deprived areas.

He advised them to be professional in the discharge of their duties, and eschew all forms of acts that could tarnish the image of the service.

The Regional Commander later inspected on-going projects at Chamba and Bimbilla.

He appealed to the Nanumba North Assembly to expedite action on the accommodation project for police in the District.

The ongoing facility is meant to house policemen who would be used as a Rapid Response Force to bring security threats in the region under control.