The Head of Human Trafficking at the Gender Ministry says the welfare of children is generally not taken seriously as other issues in the country.

Abena Asare explained on the Super Morning Show, Wednesday that it is part of the reason why cases of child slavery or trafficking fall under the radar and justice is not served.

“People are not willing and ready to report abuse when they even see it. Those that are even willing to report are not willing to support law enforcement officers or social workers following through to the letter and often this makes it difficult.”

Equally, “adults are not willing to testify and traffickers go scot-free sometimes going unpunished and they do it to others bc people are not willing,” she added.

She revealed that one of the key challenges her outfit faces is that the community members do not report the acts of child slavery to community child protection officers or the security agencies.

“With the child protection officers, the community is larger so if the incident is not reported to them or they do not see it themselves or the social worker doesn’t see the abuse so that something can be done. Then it becomes a problem.”

She stressed that the public also has a responsibility in the welfare of any child in their communities.

“The onus also lies on the public, every individual has to speak against the crimes. If we become silent offenders get the leeway and continue doing what they do.”

For starters, appealed to the public to not patronise children selling begging in the streets across the country.

“For children selling on the street; if we make it a point that we are not going to buy from any child, nobody will send their child there to go and sell. If we make it a point to not give the children begging, nobody will hide behind and send their children to beg,” she suggested.

“They take advantage of our own hospitality and our care and use these children and we fuel it with our own actions.”

“We need to break the supply chain and that is ensuring we do not patronise children in anyway and then this can end.”