Contrary to a recent BBC Africa Eye story, one of the world’s major anti-slavery organizations, International Justice Mission (IJM), has stated that there was no illegality in its operation of rescuing several Ghanaian children from child trafficking.
In an investigative report published on Monday, July 10, 2023, the BBC Africa Eye claimed, among other things, that some Ghanaian children were forcibly removed from their homes in an operation supported by IJM.
According to the BBC investigation, children who were blissfully living with relatives were unjustifiably removed from their families with no indication of having engaged in any type of labor.
Speaking to media on Wednesday, July 13, the Country Director for IJM, Anita Budu, said, “We have not found any wrongdoing from the team-IJM Ghana in this particular case. We are an organisation that prioritises the wellbeing and protection of every child, and safeguarding of every child, and this is what drives us. We are a learning organisation, and we will review our safeguarding policy”.
The BBC Africa Eye report was termed as disturbing by the Country Director of IJM, who stressed the importance of the organization rescuing the children.
“Many of the revelations in the BBC report are quite shocking. We did our own internal inquiry and investigations into the case, and what we found out from our side is that there are a lot of inaccuracies in this documentary. We sent out information to the police and the fact of the case was outlined. Initially, the information gathered was not clear-cut, and so when it was presented to the authorities [police], a decision was made to intervene. And there was the need for the children to be out of that situation, and charges were brought against the suspects,” she emphasized.
She claims that they have a team of professionals who consider the numerous trafficking difficulties before launching a rescue mission.
“A lot of back and forth happens within the team because you don’t just take one person’s word for it. We have professionals from different fields to discuss these cases and see the merits,” Madam Anita Budu explained to Selorm Adonoo.
She denied that the cops used weapons to force the youngsters out of their separate homes.
“The police made the intervention, from our observation, the police used a measured approach. We didn’t observe this situation of a gun,” the Country Director for IJM clarified.