The rescued children
The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has arrested eight parents and some cattle owners for using minors as herdsmen at Sege and Aveyime in the Volta Region.
The arrested parents, whose names have been withheld, according to information, had gone into agreement with the cattle owners to give out their male children to be used as herdsmen for fees.
They were arrested in a special operation by the unit on July 12, this year.
Briefing the media, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the CID, ASP Olivia Turkson, said the unit received information that some children were being used as herdsmen in the two areas instead of being in school.
She said information indicated that parents of the victims whose ages range between nine and 12 years, went into an agreement with the cattle owners in the area to allow them use the children as herdsmen for fees.
According to the PRO, upon receiving the news, a special operation was organized, during which six of the victims were rescued.
Their parents and two cattle owners were also grabbed and brought to the CID headquarters to assist in investigation.
She said the victims had been put under a shelter and were going through medical screening and counseling.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey