Victim of human trafficking appeals for support

A pregnant 22-year-old victim of human trafficking has appealed to non-governmental organizations and philanthropists to support her in her efforts to start work so she can begin to earn a living

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Amina Issah said she was recruited by an agency, which promised to send a group of young Ghanaians to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to work in supermarkets as supervisors.

She said after her parents had paid an amount of Ghc500.00 to the agency, she was airlifted to Riyadh, where a stranger welcomed her at the airport, took her passport away from her and later introduced her to his wife.

Ms Issah said the man's wife, on the first day, seized her phone and clothes, stripped her naked, shaved her hair and performed a ritual, adding that “My madam said I have been bought: I am a slave.”

According to her, she worked as a housemaid for five months without salary, declaring that she was fed once a day, and any time she demanded for her income, she was told the money would be sent to her parents back home in Ghana.

Ms Issah said due to the maltreatment and hardship, she managed to escape from her madam when she was sent out to dump refuse.

The victim narrated that she became stranded afterwards, since she had no relatives in Saudi Arabia, but said most of the people she met were men, and one of them promised to help her secure a job.

She said he took her to a small room and locked her up, where she was later joined by four men who then raped her, and sacked her from the small room as well.

According to her, she finally made her way to the airport, where fortunately she met people who could speak English who took her to a police station in Riyadh.

She said there were three other Ghanaians at the police station, as well as several Philippines, Ethiopians and Sri Lankans, who had gone through similar maltreatment at the hands of their taskmasters.

Ms Issah observed that some of the victims of child trafficking at the police station had worked for two years without salary.

She said the police were able to link her to the Ghana Embassy in Riyadh, which helped her to return home safely.

Ms Issah, who is now pregnant as a result of the rape incident, said life had been unbearable for her, stating that she could hardly visit the hospital for ante-natal care due to financial constraints.

She advised the youth and parents not to allow themselves to be deceived by anyone in the name of recruitment for lucrative jobs in the Middle East.

She was full of gratitude to the Ghana Mission for facilitating her return home.