The Chief Director for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Afisah Zakariah, has asked law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts against combating human trafficking and irregular migration in the country.
He noted that more women and girls were being blackmailed and trafficked from Ghana to other countries to work as households and practice prostitution.
Dr Zakariah made the call at a three-day workshop to build the capacity of law enforcement personnel, in Ho, yesterday.
The meeting brought together 50 participants from National Security, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service Immigration, Customs as well as Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and social workers.
Dr Zakariah said that some women and girls were trafficked to other countries to suffer due to lack of information, knowledge and understanding on human trafficking.
Human trafficking according to her, was a crime that needed to be considered urgently as a threat to national development.
Dr Zakariah said globally, human trafficking was the second largest trade and an organized crime.
The main objective, therefore, for the capacity building workshop, was to enable law enforcement officers have a stronger grip on the issues of human trafficking.
The Volta Regional Police Commander, COP Edward Oduro Kwateng said human trafficking had become a global issue that required collaborative efforts of all stakeholders to tackle the menace.
He said the practice was an affront to human dignity and infringed on the rights of individuals, reminding the public that “it is a criminal offence under the Human Trafficking Law, Act 694, promulgated in 2005.”
COP Kwateng commended security personnel for their tireless efforts and sacrifices in the fight against human trafficking.
She said the training would help the participants better understand and issues about human trafficking and victim identification.
Mr Prosper Afenyo, acting Coordinating Director, noted that “human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery where the perpetrators are devising new ways to outwit law enforcement personnel. We, therefore, needed to strengthen collaboration among partners to fight the menace.”
FROM KAFUI GATI, HO
