Human Trafficking is reality in Ghana and must be fought-Agblor

4th Story..." Human Trafficking is reality in Ghana and must be fought-Agblor"
by Jeffrey Owusu Mensah Olaka on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 10:48am

Ho, Nov. 4, (Mensah/Asempa), GNA – Mr. Prosper Agblor, Acting Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has observed that human trafficking was a reality in Ghana and must be tackled on all fronts.

He therefore called on the general public to resist being indifferent to programmes on that creeping criminal activity.

Mr. Agblor made the call at the inauguration of the Volta Regional Police Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) on Thursday in Ho on the theme “Don’t close your eyes to Human Trafficking”.

Mr Agblor said even though the police had been making arrests and prosecuting offenders, the phenomenon was gradually becoming a highly lucrative and exploitative business in Ghana.

He said “in recent years, Ghana has emerged as a major source, transit and destination point of Human Trafficking”.

Adding, “Our children and women especially have become victims of trafficking and have been trafficked both internally and externally to be engaged in sexual exploitation and forced labour among others”.

Mr Agblor said “the danger posed by this heinous crime is enormous. There is therefore the need for a greater collaboration by all the stakeholders to effectively fight this menace”.

He observed that “there exist in Ghana a large pool of potential victims rendered vulnerable by extreme poverty and ignorance”.

The CID acting Director said the Police was resolved to curb Human Trafficking and urged the public to volunteer credible information which could lead to the arrest and prosecution of traffickers.

Mr Agblor said the programmed fight against Human Trafficking, which commenced soon after the promulgation of the Human Trafficking Act, 694 in 2005, was being supported by UNICEF.

He said UNICEF had hinted to support opening similar units in the Eastern, Brong-Ahafo and Upper-West regions and that “it is our (Police) desire to open offices in police divisions and districts in future”.

Mr. David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, Volta Regional Police Commander in a speech read on his behalf cautioned Ghanaians against the practice, saying the police was poised to move against perpetrators.

He also appealed to the citizenry to help in eradicating the menace by being each other’s keeper, especially women and children, since they were the most vulnerable.

Mama Agblatsu III, a Queen of Ho-Bankoe, speaking on behalf Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli assured the police of the traditional council’s support.

Representatives of other security and government agencies including the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Prisons Service, Attorney-General’s Department and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) pledged their support and cooperation in fighting Human Trafficking.

GNA

SD

04 Nov. 10