Report human traffickers to security agencies - Gender Ministry

Accra, July 30, GNA - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection on Thursday urged Ghanaians to be on the lookout to report any suspected cases of human trafficking to the security agencies.

'The trafficking of Ghanaians, particularly children, within the country is more prevalent than the transnational trafficking of foreign migrants.

'Ghanaian boys and girls are subjected to forced labour within the country in various sectors including fishing, domestic service, street hawking, begging, artisanal gold mining, quarrying, herding and agriculture,' Nana Oye Lithur Minister of Gender told the Ghana News Agency in an interview to mark 2015 World Day Against Human Trafficking.

On July 30, the United Nations marks the World Day Against Trafficking Persons and it works with governments and communities to promote the day through different events and activities.

Nana Oye Lithur called on Ghanaians to come to terms with the danger that human trafficking practice poses to society and join government and civil society actors to deal with the situation.

Meanwhile the United State Department 2015 report on human trafficking recommends that Ghana needs to continue 'investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses including internal labour and sex trafficking and convict and punish trafficking offenders'.

Of the four available tiers categorising efforts of 188 countries whose efforts against the modern forms of slavery are captured, Ghana falls in the 'third of tier two Watch List' representing countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act's (TVPA) minimum standards.

Tier one represents countries whose governments fully comply with the TVPA minimum standards while tier three represents countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

The reports said Ghana should also designate an Attorney General's prosecutor in each region to lead the prosecution of human trafficking cases, provide the Anti Human Traffic Unit of the police service adequate resources to conduct law enforcement efforts.

It said the nation should also train law enforcement, child labour inspectors, and social welfare personnel to proactively identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations such as women in prostitution, migrant workers, and children working in agriculture, mining, fishing, and porters and refer them to protective services.

The report also recommends specific training for prosecutors and other judicial personnel; adoption of the legislative instrument and the need to fully implement the 2005 Human Trafficking Act; and provide sufficient government funding for protective services to victims.

GNA