Police call for media support to fight human trafficking

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Owusu Donyina, the Director of Interpol, Accra, has called for stronger media support in the fight to rein in the growing evil of human trafficking.

He said it should do more to create public awareness and highlight the danger.

ACP Donyina, who was speaking at a day’s sensitization programme in Kumasi, noted that, Ghana was particularly vulnerable to the human and drugs trade, due to its strategic location and proximity to Europe and Asia.

There was therefore the need for concerted efforts to provide adequate protection for the youth - often the target of traffickers.

The workshop was organized by the Ashanti Regional Anti-Human and Drug Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, and in attendance were the security services, officials of the Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Social Welfare Department, rescue victims and the general public.

The goal was to discuss effective ways to deal with the surge in the trafficking and track down offenders.

ACP Donyina said many were being trapped largely because of ignorance and poverty and encouraged the people to be bold to report the perpetrators in their communities to the police.

The Regional Director of Social Welfare, Mr. Bejamin Otu, asked all to be wary of advertisements on overseas jobs and educational opportunities.

These are often used as bait to trap and send people abroad to engage in forced labour and other forms of inhuman treatment.

He advised the people to refuse to sell their relations into modern day slavery in return for money and other material benefits.

Mrs Christiana Ankamah, the Regional Director of the Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, warned of prosecution of parents and guardians caught pushing their children into slavery.