Accra, September 16, 2026 – The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment – Ghana, through the Labour Department Ghana, in collaboration with International Justice Mission(IJM), has commenced a capacity-building training programme to strengthen the knowledge and skills of law enforcement officers in combating child labour and human trafficking in Ghana.
The training brings together officers from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Cocoa Board and other relevant institutions to enhance inter-agency coordination and equip participants with the knowledge and skills required to identify, prevent and effectively respond to cases of child labour and human trafficking.
Mrs Esther Ofori Agyemang, Head of the Child Labour Unit of the Labour Department, said the training was aimed at ensuring that law enforcement officers had a clear understanding of the laws governing child labour and human trafficking and were able to properly distinguish between lawful work undertaken by children and situations that constituted child labour.
Mrs Ofori Agyemang explained that not every activity undertaken by a child constituted child labour, noting that certain forms of light work could be permissible where they did not interfere with the child’s education, health, development or wellbeing.
She stressed the importance of understanding the conditions under which an activity could be classified as child labour or human trafficking, saying such knowledge was essential for ensuring appropriate enforcement and preventing the misapplication of the law.
This year’s programme, she said, had been expanded to include the Ghana Cocoa Board and other relevant institutions to strengthen collaboration and coordination among agencies working to address child labour and human trafficking.
Mrs Ofori Agyemang disclosed that the Ministry intended to extend the training to other regions to ensure that law enforcement officers across the country benefited from similar capacity-building programmes.
The Government Relations Specialist of IJM, Mr Benjamin Akyen Brentuo, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Ministry, particularly the Labour Department and the Child Labour Unit.
He explained that IJM was a global human rights organisation that worked with governments and industry stakeholders to strengthen justice systems and protect vulnerable populations. In Ghana, he said, IJM’s work included supporting efforts to protect children who were victims of child labour and human trafficking.
Mr Brentuo noted that IJM had partnered with the Child Labour Unit for the past four years in the implementation of Ghana’s National Accelerated Action Plan on Child Labour, with the current training forming part of interventions under the plan.
He said the partnership extended beyond training to other areas, including support for the preparation of the annual child labour report, monitoring and evaluation activities, and the commemoration of the National Day Against Child Labour.
He further disclosed that IJM was preparing to support an upcoming forced labour seminar scheduled for November.
Participants were encouraged to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their respective institutions and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to protect children from exploitation, abuse, child labour and human trafficking.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Public Affairs Unit
