Globeserve Ministries International, in partnership with Westwood Community Church (USA) and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), has organized the Gospel of Justice Conference at Adidome in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The conference, held under the theme “Confronting Child Labor, Child Trafficking, and Child Slavery Holistically in the Volta Region: The Role of the Citizenry, Especially the Church”, sought to raise awareness and mobilize action against child exploitation in the country, particularly on the Volta Lake.
Reverend Samuel A.K. Dunya, Head Pastor of Globeserve Missionary Church, said the Church could not remain silent while children continued to be subjected to trafficking, forced labor, and slavery. “The Bible commands us to defend the voiceless and uphold justice. We cannot sit aloof while children are trafficked, enslaved, and denied their future. That is why Globeserve has taken up this fight, to create awareness and work with stakeholders to release, rehabilitate, and reintegrate affected children,” he stated.
Rev. Dunya explained that the Gospel of Justice Conferences are held annually in Adidome and Yeji, two areas heavily affected by child trafficking and labor practices. He said the initiative was not only to rescue victims but also to target perpetrators by engaging boat owners, fishing industry operators, and their families in dialogue and through the preaching of the gospel. According to him, when people are transformed by the gospel, they change their ways, and in some cases, boat masters and fishing operators have voluntarily released children after realizing the wrongfulness of their actions.
He added that justice for vulnerable children was not only about liberation but also about restoring dignity and ensuring access to education, healthcare, and a secure family environment. “Justice is progress, justice is hope, and justice is dignity. Today, rescued children are in school, smiling again, and looking to a brighter future,” he emphasized.
Rev. Joseph Owusu Agyemang, Zonal Chairman of GPCC (Goil Zone, Ho), urged churches to play a more proactive role by preaching, teaching, and advocating against child labor and trafficking. He noted that both perpetrators and victims are often members of the church and called on pastors to speak intentionally about the issue until real change is achieved. He recounted heartbreaking incidents of children who lost their lives in fishing expeditions on the Volta Lake after being trapped in nets, describing the situation as “pathetic and unacceptable.”
The Dufia of Adidome, Togbe Kwasinyi Agyemang Kakaklolo V, pledged the support of the traditional council in enacting and enforcing bylaws to protect children. “As members of the traditional council, we make sure bylaws are instituted to safeguard our children. But this fight cannot be left to laws alone; it requires unity of purpose from traditional leaders, the church, government, and civil society,” he said.
Togbe Kakaklolo stressed that cultural values in the Volta Region have always placed high importance on the protection of children, and he urged parents not to compromise their children’s future by giving them out for labor on the lake. “It is my prayer that by next year, when we meet again, child trafficking will be a thing of the past. I call on all traditional leaders, the Member of Parliament, and the District Chief Executive to join hands. Together, we can preserve the dignity of our children and our nation,” he added.
The conference brought together clergy, traditional leaders, civil society actors, and community members to deliberate on practical steps to curb child trafficking and child labor, particularly in the Volta Region.