The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has initiated investigations into the BBC‘s report on Ghanaian children wrongly taken in anti-human trafficking raids, supported by the US charity International Justice Mission (IJM).
Deputy Minister Ms. Francisca Oteng Mensah confirmed the establishment of a committee to probe the claims made by the British broadcaster.
While she refrained from providing further details, she assured stakeholders that the findings would be communicated once the inquiry is completed.
“A committee has been set up to look at the matter because they are looking into the issue, and I may not be able to say much or comment further,” said Ms. Oteng Mensah.
The BBC's report, published on July 10, 2023, focused on an anti-human trafficking raid conducted in Mogyigna, a remote village in the Northern Region of Ghana.
The raid, a collaboration between IJM-Ghana and the police under Ghana's Human Trafficking Act, allegedly involved the forceful removal of four children, including an 11-year-old girl, while they slept with their grandparents.
“In the ‘Hilltop' case referred to by the BBC, IJM was fully transparent with the police, providing them with the facts of the case,” stated the press release issued by IJM.
They maintained that the police conducted their own investigations and determined there was sufficient evidence before proceeding with the operation.
Mrs. Linda Asante Adjei, Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association, stressed the importance of fact-checking before publication and urged journalists to avoid relying solely on one-sided reports. She emphasized the need for thorough investigations and accurate reporting to ensure the protection of children's rights.
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