Rev. Samuel Anthony Kofi Dunya of GlobeServe Ministries International spoke at a Southern Justice Conference in the Mepe North Tongu District, urging a united effort to shield children from labour, trafficking and slavery. He warned that child exploitation is not a private family issue but a societal one that requires every citizen to speak out when children are subjected to hazardous work or abuse.
According to Dunya, child labour becomes exploitation when it jeopardises a child’s health, education, safety or dignity. He highlighted the hidden dangers of trafficking, where children may face violence, neglect and sexual abuse, and called for vigilance over warning signs such as school drop‑outs, dangerous work, suspicious movements between communities or late‑night sales.
Parents, he cautioned, must verify any promises of education or employment before handing over their children, and should know where they are, who will care for them, and how contact will be maintained. “No family should surrender a child into uncertainty,” he said.
The pastor appealed to chiefs, queen mothers, elders and community leaders to use their influence to challenge exploitative practices and strengthen child‑protection systems. He urged a collaborative approach involving social welfare officers, schools, health workers, police, faith leaders and local authorities to identify and support vulnerable children.
Churches, he said, must move beyond prayer and establish child‑protection mechanisms, safe reporting channels, and training for leaders to spot abuse. Survivors should be offered safe, supportive environments rather than stigma or blame.
Dunya stressed that perpetrators of trafficking and exploitation must be held accountable regardless of wealth or influence. He called on Ghanaians to build communities where children are protected, educated and afforded dignity, saying the true measure of a community lies in how it treats its children.
