The Human Trafficking Management Board has renewed its call for stronger collaboration and strategic action in the fight against human trafficking, as it held its second quarter meeting in Accra.
The Board, which provides oversight and strategic direction for national interventions on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership, emphasized the need to intensify efforts to safeguard vulnerable persons across the country.
A key highlight of the meeting was the swearing-in of new members, including Chief Director Dr. Marian W. A. Kpakpah, who took the Oath of Office and Secrecy alongside other inductees. Chairperson of the Board and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, introduced Dr. Kpakpah as “an additional capable hand whose experience would support the Ministry’s work.”
The Minister commended members for their dedication to the Board’s mandate, stressing that combating human trafficking remained a critical national responsibility. She warned of evolving trends such as the use of digital platforms and social media for recruitment into trafficking networks, which increasingly target young people.
“Fraudulent job opportunities, online scams, and deceptive migration schemes continue to expose many Ghanaians to exploitation both within and outside the country,” Dr. Lartey noted, adding that irregular migration and economic vulnerabilities heighten risks, particularly during periods of increased labour migration.
While acknowledging progress in victim rescues, prosecutions, and inter-agency collaboration, the Minister pointed to persistent gaps in sustained stakeholder coordination. Members reviewed activities of the Human Trafficking Secretariat and received a presentation on the roadmap for the next National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Human Trafficking in Ghana.
Dr. Lartey underscored the need for a data-driven and inclusive approach to the 2027–2030 plan, with particular focus on emerging threats such as cyber-enabled trafficking and transnational criminal networks. She further encouraged innovative public awareness campaigns ahead of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, stressing the importance of reaching young people through both traditional and digital platforms.
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