News:
March 21, 2019
The Member of Parliament for the Hohoe constituency in the Volta region, Dr Bernice Adiku Heloo has expressed worry about the increasing dominance of modern day slavery in several forms involving Ghanaians.
According to her young Ghanaians especially girls are taken away to foreign lands to serve under very inhumane conditions that can be liken to slavery.
The former Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation who is also a development worker land stated that young girls including Ghanaians and other nationals trafficked are made to work under very strenuous circumstances breading hairs and nails in hairdressing salons in Europe for very long hours without rest and with very little pays.
“These girls and young women are trafficked to foreign lands where they work in very dreadful environments and odd hours with very little benefits.” She noted in certain cases, the passports of these girls are ceased so that they cannot run away from their ‘masters’.
Trafficking she said is a dominant coordinated phenomenon which is very rampant, where young girls and women are deceived through various media by their captors into slavery outside the shores of the country.
Additional she observed that some parents out of poverty give out their wards to go and serve people they owe in order to defray the debt over a period of time.
These children however are made to work under very heartless conditions and environment to the detriment of their education and survival.The MP who is also a development worker urged the needs for parents to show love and affection to their children, provide their needs.
The MPs who is a member of the Parliamentary group working with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on ending modern day slavery in all forms urged schools, communities and churches to make the issue a topical discussion at all levels of their engagements.
She emphasised the need for the public to be educated about the effects of social media which are used to exploit them. The MP urged the need for relevant state agencies to be strengthened with the necessary logistics to enable them fight against these social vices.
The Hohoe MP blamed poverty as the cause of increasing rise in child trafficking cases in the country. Hohoe MP, Dr. Bernice Adiku Heloo has blamed poverty on the rise in child trafficking cases in the country. According to her, most of the victims in such situations are trafficked to help offset debts owed by their parents.
Dr Heloo who described the modus operandi of people who take advantage of deprived children urged parents to show love and affection to children and provide their basic needs so they do not fall victim to deception. She also urged the need for public education on the dangers of child trafficking and modern day slavery to find a lasting solution to the canker.
The lawmaker also challenged the media to play a lead role in the advocacy against child trafficking and modern day slavery.
Christian Kpesese / ghanamps.com