Report by Bernard K DADZIE
ActionAid Ghana in collaboration with Ministry of Food and Agricultural, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations have launched a three-year project to complement the government’s efforts at tackling modern slavery and indecent work practices within the agricultural sector of the country.
The project “Combatting modern slavery in Ghana” and implemented by ActionAid Ghana and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU), seeks to abolish forced labour, child labour, human trafficking, debt bondage and unfair contract farming practices, mainly involving women and children.
With funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, the project aims to enhance the knowledge of individuals and communities to court their support to prevent such practices.
The project would be implemented in 12 districts and 100 communities dotted across the Northern, Upper West, Bono, Ahafo and Oti regions with 26,700 direct beneficiaries and 15 million indirect beneficiaries.
Making his presentation on Combating Modern Slavery in Ghana, the project Manager of ActionAid, Samuel Sabuli said the brain behind the project is facilitate the implementation of measures to identify, prevent and address modern slavery within the agricultural sector.
According to him, the project will enhance the knowledge of individuals and communities on the modern slavery practices so they can act in concert to prevent such practices.
He disclosed that Ghana has signed up to the sustainable Development Goals (SDGAs) of the United Nations. The SDGs are the global benchmark for Combating and eradicating poverty, and social injustice among others.
Adding that ActionAid Ghana with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation(Norad) is implementing the “Combatting modern Slavery in Ghana” project to complement government in efforts eradicating modern slavery which manifest in the form of forced labour, child labour (including worst forms of child labour) human trafficking, debt bondage and unfair contract farming practices.
The Acting Country Director of ActionAid, Mr. John Nkaw, noted the initiative had targeted agribusinesses within the food and cash crops such as cocoa and cashew value chain; relevant government agencies and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, community leaders, smallholder farmers with at least 80 percent being women.
To him, it formed part of the ActionAid’s aim of tackling the structural causes and manifestations of poverty and injustice, and also help Ghana achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 8.7.
The target, he explained, required UN member countries to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.
The Director’s address said human trafficking which was a component of Modern-day slavery, was one of the gravest human rights violations of the present age and a crime that caused enormous physical and physiological damage to victims and their families, undermined national cohesion, and eroded developmental gains.
“Human trafficking, child and forced labour and its related forms of practices persist in Ghana and addressing it must be achieved within a collaborative framework amongst the relevant agencies”, he added.
Mr. John Nkaw, further said that the project will enhance the knowledge of individuals and communities on the modern slavery practices so they can act in concert to prevent such practices.
For his part, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Jeremiah Agyeman, addressing the gathering declaring the government’s support for the project.
He stated in categorically that the ministry on its part, had put in place strategies aimed at addressing indecent work practices in the sector, including the Gender and Agricultural Development Strategy.
According to him, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is making any efforts in promoting decent work also involves modernizing Agricultural processes and hence reducing drudgery.
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