Ghana Forum launches Coalition Against Transnational Crime, calls for protection of trafficking victims
Participants at a national forum on trafficking for forced criminality have announced the formation of a Ghana Civil Society Coalition Against Transnational Crime, aimed at strengthening efforts to combat human trafficking and protect young people exploited through cyber-enabled fraud schemes.
The announcement was made on the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons during the “Trapped Behind the Scam” forum, organised by GYAN Ghana, the Democratic Network for Action (DNA), and Transnational Mobility Pathways (TMP).
The virtual event brought together representatives from government, the United Nations, regional institutions, civil society organisations, survivor networks, the financial and technology sectors, academia, the media and youth groups to discuss the growing threat of trafficking for forced criminality.
The forum ended with the adoption of a communiqué outlining commitments for government institutions, private sector actors, regional partners, civil society organisations and young people. The new coalition is expected to be formally launched in Accra on International Youth Day, August 12, 2026.
The discussions focused on a growing form of human trafficking in which victims are lured through fake online job advertisements, transported to controlled locations and forced to engage in cyber fraud under threats, intimidation and exploitation.
Speakers noted that while the crime was initially associated largely with Southeast Asia, the model has expanded to other regions, including West Africa, with Ghana increasingly affected as a source, transit point and destination for such activities.
The forum highlighted several recent cases involving Ghanaian nationals. These include the rescue of more than 100 young Ghanaians in Ho in January 2026 following recruitment through social media, the repatriation of 28 persons from Côte d’Ivoire in May 2026, the rescue of 44 individuals from alleged criminal camps in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, in March 2026, and the rescue of nine persons and arrest of 10 suspects at Afienya on July 21, 2026.
A major concern raised during the forum was the treatment of trafficked persons as criminals rather than victims. Participants stressed the need for authorities to recognise the victim-offender overlap, where individuals forced into cyber fraud are themselves victims of trafficking.
They reaffirmed the principle that victims should not be punished for offences committed as a direct consequence of their exploitation, arguing that prosecuting victims allows traffickers to evade accountability.
The forum was moderated by Ms Hellena Buabeng, Founder and General Manager of Design Solar Training & Installations Ltd, and featured contributions from experts including Joshua Mawutor of Partners Recruitment Consult, former INTERPOL Director and Deputy Commissioner of the Botswana Police Service David Mosetse, and clinical psychologist Mrs Ethel Obeng-Treve of Fafanto Psych & Wellness Consult.
The discussions also included survivor experiences and youth-focused interventions, with the All Africa Students Union highlighting the importance of prevention and awareness among young people.
Lamberta Bina Abusah, co-convener of the forum for GYAN Ghana, said the issue should not be viewed simply as a case of young people engaging in online crime but as a situation where many are being exploited through trafficking networks.
“For fifteen years, since young Ghanaians first began to be drawn into online fraud, GYAN Ghana has warned that this was never simply a story of criminal young people — it was a story of young people preyed upon,” she said.
She added that the newly established coalition represented a collective commitment by civil society and young people to push for stronger action against trafficking for forced criminality.
The forum also issued a global appeal urging individuals and corporations to support the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Blue Heart Campaign against human trafficking by raising awareness, partnering with anti-trafficking initiatives and supporting efforts to end the crime.
Among the key recommendations contained in the communiqué were calls for all rescued persons from scam operations to be screened as potential trafficking victims before prosecution or deportation, improved access to legal aid, stronger cybercrime reporting systems, and closer collaboration between financial institutions and security agencies to identify and disrupt trafficking-related financial flows.
The communiqué further called for enhanced cooperation among countries through institutions such as INTERPOL and ECOWAS, stronger consular support for Ghanaians trapped abroad, and sustained youth-led education campaigns warning against fraudulent employment opportunities.