PORTO-NOVO - Aid agencies and authorities in Benin are preparing to assist scores of suspected child slaves on board a ship turned back by two African countries.
The children, from Benin and neighbouring Togo, were believed to be caught up in a lucrative trade in children sold by poor families and
forced to work abroad on plantations or as domestic servants.
Benin's Social and Women's Affairs Minister, Ramatou Baba-Moussa, said she believed there were 180 children aboard the MV Etireno, which had been chartered from Benin three weeks ago.
Estelle Guluman of Unicef in Cotonou said the ship was expected today after a round trip of more than 2000km.
Authorities had earlier said it was due last night.
"There are centres which have been established in Benin to receive such children where they can be housed temporarily while we establish their identity," she said. If possible the children would be returned to their families.
After setting out from Cotonou, the ship and its human cargo was turned away by port authorities at Libreville in Gabon and Cameroon's main port of Douala. Police sources said Benin's consul in Douala paid for fuel for the ship to return home.
- INDEPENDENT
