The Advisory Council Chairman of ICEDEG Africa, Nana Kwasi Asuman-Frimpong, has warned that human trafficking has evolved into a major national security challenge, fuelled by recruitment scams, illegal mining, child labour and the exploitation of vulnerable Ghanaians.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (27 July), he said trafficking has become increasingly sophisticated, with criminal networks targeting young people through fake football recruitment schemes, fraudulent job offers linked to QNET and promises of employment in Gulf countries.
“Human trafficking has become a very big thing, particularly in recent times,” he said.
According to him, traffickers continue to lure young women to Gulf states, where many end up being abused, while others are recruited into illegal mining, fishing, cocoa farming and other hazardous work within Ghana.
He said data from the Ghana Police Service’s Human Trafficking Unit and the Human Trafficking Secretariat point to a growing number of victims linked to QNET recruitment scams.
“The number of people trafficked through QNET is off the roof,” he said.
Asuman-Frimpong also warned that trafficking is increasingly linked to organised crime, including money laundering, prostitution and forced begging.
He said tackling the problem requires sustained investment in victim rescue operations, shelters, reintegration programmes and nationwide public education campaigns.
“When victims are rescued, they must be sheltered, fed, treated and reintegrated. All of these require resources,” he said.
He urged government to prioritise funding for anti-trafficking interventions, arguing that protecting vulnerable people is a core responsibility of the state.
“The state has the responsibility to protect every single individual, especially vulnerable people,” he said.
Source: asaaseradio.com
