You can be 'rich' in Ghana, say no to irregular migration - Gender Minister

Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Cynthia Mamle Morrison has pleaded with the youth to stop using illegal means to seek for greener pastures outside the country as Ghana is also a better place for one to succeed.

She furthered that in most cases, the young girls end up being vulnerable as the journey to the Gulf States – Kuwait – Qatar, while the men, on the other hand, are engaged in hard labour.

As part of government’s plan to end human trafficking, she called on young adults to say no irregular migration to curb the menace.

Cynthia Mamle Morrison advised them to invest in themselves rather than eagerly give out their savings to middlemen who sometimes squander their monies all in the name of travelling outside the country.

Speaking at the launch of the annual World Day against Human Trafficking which would be held on Thursday, July 30, 2020, the Minister said “We want to plead with our youth, say no to irregular migration. Ghana is also a better place that you can make it. Let us not give our savings to connection men, but rather invest it and improve our skills with it. Ghana has been a peaceful country as a result of good governance, democracy and peaceful co-existence and there is no place like home”.

She bemoaned that “Most of these girls move to destinations which are not familiar to them, therefore, making them vulnerable. For instance, we have seen irregular migration of young adults through the desert to Europe in search of greener pastures as well as those deceived to migrate to Kuwait, Qatar and other Gulf states. Irregular migration and forced migration lead to human trafficking and migrant smuggling”.

The Minister noted that despite government’s efforts to airlift majority of them back to the country in this COVID-19 era, others remain stranded.

World Day against Trafficking in Persons is held on July 30th each year and the theme for this year's celebration is ‘stakeholder act now to end human trafficking amidst COVID-19 in Ghana”.

The day celebration is to raise awareness as well as devise strategies to help prevent human trafficking.