Hotels warned against child trafficking

With over one million (1,000,000) visitors projected to be in Ghana for the 26th edition of the African Cup of Nations which opens in a few days, some organizations have raised red flags about the possibility of suspected human traffickers taking advantage of the soccer fiesta to transport young girls and boys across the various borders for prostitution.

In response to the caution, the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) has issued a warning to all hotels and hospitality centres to guard against providing shelter for especially prostitutes.

The security agencies are also on high alert to arrest and deal with any group or individuals that are here, not for the tournament but to engage in sex selling.

The Child Rights International and the Enslavement Prevention Alliance of West Africa say there is the potential for the exploitation of children for prostitution if proper structures are not put in place to ensure that the suspected perpetrators don?t implement their ideas.

Child Rights International has gone ahead to ask tournament managers and officials of the tournament secretariat to turn anyway anybody who?s below age eighteen (18) from any of the stadia during the tournament. The group is of the view that a child at the time becomes vulnerable to such human traffickers.

Speaking to the dailyEXPRESS, the Ag Executive Director of the GTB Martin Mireku, said the Code of Conduct on how to operate tourism facilities is clear on the issue.

?The hotels should ensure that people they suspect of coming in purely for sexual reasons are not allowed in,? he said. ?We expect the hotels to see themselves as agents in this direction to help the course because anyone caught to be disregarding the conduct in this direction would be dealt with.?

Mr. Mireku said the board is also collaborating with the security agencies to ensure that those with the intention of making the country their preferred centre for sex tourism are not allowed to have their way.

?Ghana is looking at promoting good tourism because sex tourism is negative and does not give any country a good image.?

According to him, the Board expects that visitors to the country would leave with refreshing memories that are positive and likely to swell the numbers of visitors for events.

Martin Mireku also told the dailyEXPRESS that food vendors and chop bar operators have also been sensitized and educated to help them improve on their standards. They also benefitted from lessons on hygiene and customer care to help improve their customer delivery.

The GTB Boss is hopeful that the country would be able to host an incident-free tournament which would be an added addition to the already growing tourists confidence in the country.