Weak enforcement and limited community-level response systems are undermining Ghana’s fight against child trafficking, even as thousands of children remain trapped in exploitative conditions, the National Commission for Civic Education has warned.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop in Volta Lake trafficking hotspot context, Kathleen Addy highlighted that although legal frameworks exist, operational gaps at district and community levels continue to hinder prevention and justice delivery.
According to her, many communities fail to report early warning signs, while stigma and fear often silence victims and witnesses, allowing trafficking networks to persist largely unchecked.
The concern comes amid troubling estimates that over 130,000 people in Ghana are victims of trafficking, including about 20,000 children working under dangerous conditions in the fishing sector, particularly on the Volta Lake.
Madam Addy stressed that child trafficking remains deeply entrenched due to socio-economic challenges such as poverty and inequality, as well as the normalisation of exploitative practices in some areas.
She noted that while some progress has been made through rescues and prosecutions, these efforts are not enough without stronger grassroots engagement and coordinated action.
The workshop, organised in collaboration with the International Justice Mission, focused on equipping civic educators with the skills to improve prevention, reporting, and survivor support at the district level.
Worlanyo Kojo Forster said strengthening the justice system and building institutional capacity remain critical to deterring traffickers and protecting vulnerable children.
He added that IJM has expanded its interventions beyond the fishing sector into agriculture, where cases of child labour and trafficking are also emerging.
The engagement brought together civic educators from multiple regions, with a renewed push for collaboration between institutions to close enforcement gaps and enhance protection mechanisms.
Stakeholders say addressing the issue will require not only legal enforcement but also sustained education, community involvement, and targeted interventions to break the cycle of exploitation.
