Ghana has hosted the 15th annual review meeting of the ECOWAS regional network of national focal institution against Trafficking in Persons (RNNI-TIP+).
The three-day event sought to review ECOWAS plan of action and to contribute to the attainment of human security through the combat of trafficking in persons and protection of vulnerable persons.
The Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah, on Monday stated that Ghana was in its second phase of implementing a strategic document to eliminate human trafficking in the country.
She said the action plan has a Standard Operating Procedure which shapes the referral pathways to combat human trafficking in Ghana.
According to her, the issue of human trafficking has been a canker subtly eating away various fabrics of society and the 15th annual conference was an indication that the region was committed and making strides in the fight against human trafficking.
She said within the sub region, it was important to be concerned with the courses of action taken to ensure the safety and survival of rescued victims of trafficking.
On his part, the Head of tip unit of ECOWAS, Mr Olatinde Olayemi, said ECOWAS received reports of trafficking of males for forced labour.
“Reports indicate that the young men were locked up and made to engage in computer scamming while being held captive and deprived of liberty, the most egregious part of it was that some boys were used as child fighters,” he lamented.
The ECOWAS Plans of Action to Combat Trafficking was instituted by the ECOWAS TIP Programme in 2007 as a flagship event with main focus on an annual reporting by member states and peer review mechanism.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
