The new Human Trafficking Management board
An 18-member board for the Human Trafficking Management (HTM) department of the ministry has been inaugurated by the caretaker Minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The Human Trafficking Secretariat (HMS) was established for the Human Trafficking Management Board (HTMB) under MoGCSP.
It is charged with the coordination of all human trafficking related issues such as prevention and reduction of human trafficking, rehabilitation, and reintegration of trafficked persons and its related matters as well as punishment of traffickers.
The new board members include the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection Sarah Adwoa Safo, acting as the Chairperson of the board.
Other members are Abena Annobea Asare, Ag. Secretary, HTM, Soale Lily Fati, from Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Lydia Quarcoo from Ministry of Interior, Hamidu Adakurugu, Esq. from Ministry of Health, and Carl Quist from Ministry of Education.
Theresa Owusu Ako from Ghana Journalist Association, Chief Supt. Mike Baah from Ghana Police Service, Alberta A. Ampofo from the Ghana Immigration Service, Frederick Asouah Yankey from Customs, Excise, and Preventive Service, Dr. Victoria Nyarkoah Sam from Office of National Security Co-ordinator, Rev. Comfort Asare from the Department of Social Welfare, Eugene Narh Korletey from Labour Department, Prof. Angela L. Ofori-Atta, Chairperson of the Ghana Psychology Council, Mary Agyekum; Absa Legal Counsel, Eric Boakye Peasah; Counter-Trafficking Field Manager of International Organization for Migration, and Mathew Nyindam; former Member of Parliament for Kpandai constituency are also members.
Mrs. Cecilia Dapaah charged the new board to review the Human Trafficking National Plan of Action in order to make better decisions to help curb human trafficking in the country.
She stated that issues of cross border sex trafficking, labour exploitation, child abuse, child labour and the recent QNet saga are all areas in need of inspection by the new board.
Mrs. Mary Agyekum, on behalf of the chairperson of the new board, expressed the board’s gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for the appointment.
She added, “We believe that this duty that has been imposed on us will be dealt with to the best of our abilities so that in the end the flag of Ghana will fly high.”
By Abigail Adeyemi