At least 523 persons including 391 children who were trafficked have been rescued by the Police across the country for the past two years.
Similarly, 44 children were also rescued in the first quarter of this year.
The victims who were between the ages of five and 17 years were used on the farms, fishing,and child prostitution, among others.
The Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent(C/Supt) Mike Baah, disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday stating that 132 adults were also rescued and cited poverty and deception as the major causes of human trafficking in the country.
He stated that as part of efforts to address the situation in the country, the Unit would intensify its education and sensitisation programmes to the public on the negative effects on the country.
“We have identified the sources and receiving areas and we will intensify our sensitisation and the education on the negative effects of child trafficking to the nation and intensify our collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the security agencies and the non-governmental and faith-based organisations to minimise the canker,
“The capacity of personnel and other security agencies are being built on trafficking issues and given the best skills and knowledge to detect such cases and the law enforcement agencies will enforce the law to ensure offenders are not let off the hook and to serve as deterrent to others,” C/Supt Baah indicated.
He stressed the need to protect the rights of children in the country with some of the trafficking cases sometimes resulted in death and maiming of the children and the rescued children were sent to Shelter for protection while others were reunited with their families.
C/Supt Baah explained that some of the adults of other nationals who were trafficked for prostitution had been repatriated to their countries in collaboration with their respective Embassies.
He said suspects arrested within the two-year period were put before court and some were convicted ranging from five to 18 years and cautioned parents to desist from giving out their children for money, adding that “the practice is criminal and when caught will be arrested and prosecuted if established that as parents you are accomplices in human trafficking cases.”
C/Supt Baah appealed to the public and the media to be vigilant in their communities, and report such culprits to the police for immediate action and to collaborate with the AHTU on its sensitisation and education drive to clamp down on such activities.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
