The escape of a 16-year-old boy from forced labour on Lake Volta in 2024 has led to the rescue of six other trafficked children, including his younger brother, the International Justice Mission (IJM) has revealed.

The case was shared at Ghana’s National Justice Conference 2026 as an example of how collaboration between law enforcement and social protection agencies can help protect victims of child trafficking.

Speaking under the pseudonym “Philip” to protect the survivor’s identity, IJM’s Director of West Africa Programme, Anita Budu, said the teenager endured harsh conditions while working on the lake.

She said Philip was subjected to long hours of fishing from sunrise to evening, physical abuse, hunger and exhaustion after being forced into labour.

According to Ms Budu, Philip later discovered that his younger brother, who had left home two years earlier after being promised a better life, had also been trafficked by the same boat master.

That discovery, she said, motivated him to escape.

She explained that Philip fled under the cover of darkness and navigated dangerous waters for several hours before eventually making his way to safety.

In what Ms Budu described as a “dramatic turn of events,” Philip later encountered the same trafficker at a bus terminal.

She said the trafficker took him to a police station and accused him of stealing.

However, a police investigator who had recently received training from IJM on multidisciplinary approaches to handling trafficking cases recognised that there were deeper issues surrounding the case.

The investigator, according to IJM, initiated a coordinated response and contacted the Department of Social Welfare to take custody of Philip.

The information gathered during that process later helped authorities locate and rescue six other boys, including Philip’s younger brother.

“This is coordination in action... This is accountability at work,” Ms Budu told participants at the conference.

IJM also recognised three officials for their roles in the rescue operation.

They included Detective Corporal Lawrence Blantari of the Ghana Police Service; Divine Gati, the social worker who responded to the case; and police prosecutor Chief Inspector Henry Doku, who worked under the guidance of Senior State Attorney Andrews Dodzi Adugu, the focal person for human trafficking prosecution in the Oti and Volta regions.

Detective Corporal Blantari was unable to attend the conference, but Ms Budu expressed hope that the Ghana Police Service’s Director-General for Special Duties and Marine Affairs would convey the organisation’s appreciation to him.

The case was highlighted during discussions on sustainable funding for child protection, with stakeholders stressing that effective responses to trafficking require trained personnel, adequate resources and stronger coordination among institutions.

Organisers of the National Justice Conference said the experience demonstrates the need for continued investment in systems that identify, protect and support vulnerable children.