More than 49,000 of the estimated 100,000 children entrapped into modern slavery of child labour are operating on the Volta Lake in the country.

Mr David Kofi Ewusi, the Country Director of Engage Now Africa, a Child protection and welfare Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has said out of the figure, 21,000 were engaged in hazardous labour that was dangerous to their health and threatened their lives.

Mr Ewusi, who was speaking at a public sensitisation durbar for school children in the Cape Coast Metropolis on the menace of child trafficking, said modern slavery was occurring everyday and everywhere involving about 1.8 million children.

The sensitisation programme was organised by the Central Regional Police Command with support from Engage Now Africa on the theme: "Am aware, you can't traffic me."

It formed part of their collaborative mission to engage and strengthen individuals, families and communities to end poverty by instilling hope through education, self-support assistance, and eradication of all modern forms of slavery.

Mr Ewusi said the psychological effects of child labour on victims are enormous adding that “sometimes it is extremely painful to look at scars at the back, thigh, forehead and stomach of some of the victims of exploitation”.

The practice, he said, remains a “silent nightmare” among victims as innocent children went through worst forms of torture, molestations and denial of education, food and shelter.

Mr Ewusi said the practice of engaging children for hazardous activities was a violation of their rights and illegal according to the Human Trafficking Act, 2005.