Ministry inaugurates human trafficking board
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, (MoGCSP), Nana Oye Lithur, has inaugurated a 15-member Management Board on Human Trafficking.
The board is tasked to make recommendations, monitor and report on the progress of the National Action Plan Against Human Trafficking, and to propose co-ordinated strategies to prevent human trafficking and support investigations and the prosecution of trafficking cases.
Progress made
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. Victims of human trafficking are usually subjected to diverse forms of abuse, including sexual and labour exploitations. Children and young people are sometimes involved in domestic servitude, fishing, hawking, mining, and street begging, among other forms of abuse.
In October 2012, the government of Ghana collaborated with the government of Burkina Faso in an operation which resulted in the rescue of 387 trafficked children from various African Union states.
Inaugurating the board, Nana Oye Lithur said human trafficking constituted another form of gender-based violence with women and children being the main victims.
She said in spite of these efforts, Ghana still served as an origin, transit and destination point for human trafficking.
She, however ,said the collaboration between the Anti-human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service and the Human Trafficking Secretariat under the MoGCSP had yielded positive results in sensitisation and advocacy works.
According to the minister, a total of 91 cases were recorded in 2012 as against 75 cases in 2013, adding that only three convictions were made in 2013 as against 29 convictions in 2012.
Even though there was a decline in the prevalence rate, Nana Oye Lithur indicated that “we find it unacceptable that even one person should fall victim to human trafficking.’’
Strengthen laws
She said: “We need to strengthen our laws and responses to the offence in order to halt the developing culture of impunity in the perpetration of this offence”.She noted that when passed, the Human Trafficking Regulation would help to promote and ensure effective implementation of the Human Trafficking Act.
Board members
Membership of the board, chaired by the minister, includes Mrs Victoria Natsu, acting Director of Human Trafficking Secretariat; Mrs Patience Quaye, Head of Anti- Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service; Mr Eugene Narh Korletey, acting Chief Labour Officer; Mr Hamidu Adakurugu, Ministry of Health; Mrs Yvonne Obuosbisa, Principal State Attorney, Attorney General’s Department; and Mr Samuel Amankwah, Ministry of Interior.
Others are: Mrs Regina Armah, Deputy Staff Officer, National Security Council Secretariat; Rabiana Hazara Amandi, Director, Pre Tertiary, Ministry of Education; Ms Dorothy Onny, Director at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; and Mr Laud Kwesi Ofori Affrifah, Ghana Immigration Service.
The rest are Nana Afrakuma II, Akwamu Traditional Area; Mr George Achirbra, Executive Director of Partners in Community Development (PACODEP); Mr Eric Peasah, Executive Director of Right to be Free; and Na Affipong III, Ngleshie Alata queenmother.