Human Trafficking Bill to be laid in Parliament

Koforidua, Oct. 18, GNA - A Bill which seeks to address the soaring incidence of human trafficking in Ghana will soon be laid in Parliament, a Deputy Director of Social Welfare, Mr S.T. Adongo has announced. Speaking at an Annual Review Performance Workshop of the Department of Social Welfare at Koforidua on Monday, Mr Adongo said a Child Labour Unit (CLU) had been set up within the Ministry of Manpower and Employment to deal with the situation.

Mr Adongo, who is in-charge of Child Rights and Protection, said human trafficking was becoming a serious problem and even assuming an international dimension.

According to him, trafficking of children was being done through various channels.

"Even through outright sale by opinion leaders, tribal heads and even poor parents," he said.

He alleged that truckloads of such children were been lured from the Northern parts of the country to the mining and cocoa growing areas in the South with Obuasi and Kumasi as the "receiving centers".

Mrs Mary Amadu, Director of Social Welfare, called for a multi-sectoral approach in handling the situation, and suggested the involvement of the Customs, Excise and Prevention Service, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Unit Committees.

She also called on officers of the Department to be more circumspect in the handling of relative adoption cases.