By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, July 12, GNA – Professor Angela Ofori-Atta, a Member of the Human Trafficking Management Board of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, says the country has made steady progress in tackling Human Trafficking despite challenges.
The Clinical Psychologist, during the commemoration of the World Day Against Trafficking in Person (Blue Day), noted that, the progress made in fighting the transnational crime included the rescuing of victims, training more law enforcement officials and stakeholders on how to deal with cases of Human Trafficking, several arrests of perpetuators, convictions, and jail terms.
“There has been significant improvement over the past five years in terms of prosecutions, in 2013 and 2016 we had a total of two convictions each,” she said.
From 2017 to date, the total cases reported are 803 with 797 investigated by the Anti-human trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police and Ghana Immigration Services.
During the same reporting periods, a total of 221 of the cases were prosecuted, with 210 individuals convicted and sentenced for human trafficking related offences.
Prof Ofori-Atta attributed the results to the various legislations, legal instruments, and plan of action that the country had enacted and drawn over the years.
The legislations are the Human Trafficking Act 694 of 2005 and the Human Trafficking Prohibition Regulations of 2015 (LI 2219).
“With regards to legislation, Ghana has enacted the Human Trafficking Act 694 of 2005 and the Human Trafficking Prohibition Regulations of 2015 and the Ministry has also developed the National Plan of Action from 2022-2026 supporting the effective implementation of Act 694,” she added.
Prof Ofori-Atta said despite the successes, some challenges were faced.
She said to reduce the menace, the Ministry had trained some 798 law-enforcement officers, 230 journalists in Accra and beyond, 104 social workers to help deal with the menace.
Mrs Lariba Zuweira Abudu, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, lauded the significant rise of prosecution of cases particularly that of child trafficking.
She said that had made Ghana to be ranked on the tier two global ranking indicating the government’s commitment to end human trafficking.
“It shows how we have demonstrated commitment to fight against human trafficking, yielding greater results in the number of prosecutions gained and the number of victims rescued,” she said.
In 2022, a total number of 108 cases were reported and investigated by law enforcement officials.
The Minister advised NGOs and activists to follow standard operating procedures and protocols in their activities in fighting human trafficking.
GNA