By Priscilla Oye Ofori
Accra, May 30, GNA – Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has urged sports institutions to strengthen accountability and recruitment standards to prevent traffickers from exploiting ambitious young athletes through fake sports contracts and scholarships abroad.
Dr Lartey made the call at a media launch to commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (Blue Day) in Accra.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, for the purpose of exploitation.
The Blue Day, established on December 18, 2013 is globally observed annually on July 30 by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness, promote the protection of the rights of trafficking victims and also to encourage governments, organisations, and individuals to prevent and combat trafficking in persons.
The theme for this year’s Blue Day is: “Human trafficking can end: the time is now. Blow the whistle on sports trafficking.”
Dr Lartey noted that across multiple countries, the criminal networks disguised exploitation as legitimate opportunity, luring vulnerable youth into abuse, forced labor, irregular migration, and trafficking by manipulating their talent, hope, and trust.
She said barring exploitation, sports was meant to inspire hope, discipline, opportunity and national pride across the world as millions of the youth saw sports as a pathway to education, professional success, economic advancement, and a better future.
The Minister said in Ghana sports, particularly, football and athletics continued to represent aspirations and opportunities for many young people and their families.
“As the world prepares for major international sporting events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup, greater attention is being paid to the risk of sports trafficking and the exploitation of young athletes and sporting talent.” Dr Lartey said.
She said combating trafficking required sustained partnerships and collective action beyond government, therefore, communities, families, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, development partners, and especially the media had a role to play.
The Minister encouraged the citizenry to stay alert, report suspicious activity, protect vulnerable youth, and support prevention efforts, while the media exposed hidden exploitation and raise public awareness.
“We therefore encourage the media to continue highlighting the dangers of trafficking, particularly emerging trends in sports trafficking, cyber enabled exploitation, and deceptive migration schemes targeting young people, as we intensify this campaign.”
Dr Lartey highlighed some government’s effort and collaboration outcomes, explaining that victim rescues rose from 821 in 2021 to 846 in 2022, spiked to 2,089 in 2023, dropped to 794 in 2024, then hit a peak of 2,331 in 2025.
“The sharp increase in 2025 also reflects intensified action against emerging forms of trafficking, particularly cyber-related trafficking, online exploitation, and romance scam networks,” she added.
Madam Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Ghana, noted that illegal recruitment practices where companies bypassed official channels through the Ministries of Gender, Labour, and Foreign Affairs, fuelled trafficking.
She called for strengthened protection systems, expand opportunities, and keep sports a space for dignity and development—not exploitation.
Madam Anita Budu, Country Director for International Justice Mission (IJM) Ghana, called for increased funding for anti-human trafficking efforts, whiles government made adequate budgetary allocation to the Human Trafficking Fund.
She said the funding would cater for prevention, law enforcement, survivour care, and strengthening of prosecution, and for survivours to fully rebuild their lives.
Reverend Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Chairperson, Parliamentary Select Committee on Gender, Children and Social Welfare, in a speech read on her behalf, emphasised the need for a dedicated fund through the District Assembly Common Fund for child protection in various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.
She said such a fund would enhance the work of social welfare officers who were at the frontline of ensuring child protection and welfare in the communities.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong
Reporter: Priscilla Oye Ofori