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The future of three children who were given out into servitude  by a Winneba based fish monger  in the Central Region hangs in the balance due to lack of  proper social welfare support  for their upkeep.

 Adjoa Amissah a 59-year fish monger is standing trail at the Swedru Circuit Court for giving out her two children and a grandson as labourers in return for one thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 1,000) to help perform the burial rites of her late son.

When convicted, Amissah could be looking at not less than five years in prison -the minimum sentence for child trafficking offence in Ghana. 

The Human Trafficking ACT, 2005, an ACT for the prevention, reduction and punishment of human trafficking in Ghana defines trafficking as:

 The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, trading or receipt of persons within and across national borders by the use of threats, force or other forms of coercion,  abduction, fraud,  deception, the abuse of power or exploitation of vulnerability, or  giving or receiving payments and benefits to achieve consent. 

 Exploitation according to the Act   include induced prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, salary or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. 

Under the Act, the trafficker and user of trafficked persons commit similar offence and are and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years. 

But while Adjoa Amissah awaits the verdict of the court, Weekend Finder has gathered that the children are keeping with the sister of the accused who is struggling to give care to the children. 

Challenging Heights international, a non-governmental organization which is pursuing the case in court told Weekend Finder they are working at setting up the care giver with a business to support the children. 

 Meanwhile, ASP Emmanuel Ofori Asanti, head of prosecution at the Agona Swedru Divisional Police Command is raising concerns about the lack of proper social welfare support for such children.

He told Weekend Finder that in as much as many of such cases have been prosecuted and people incarcerated as a result, it is gradually creating a social problem.

He noted that unlike advanced countries where support is given to children whose parents are prosecuted for child trafficking offenses, “Our social welfare systems are not well equipped to perform these functions”.

 In Ghana, it is a normal practice for parents to give out their children to others to help in jobs as house helps for a period after which they are set up in a vocation drawing a thin line between what constitute trafficking in some instances.