Afasi Komla
Director of End Modern Slavery at Engage Now Africa (ENA), Mr. Afasi Komla, has revealed that the organisation is actively combating human trafficking in the country through rescue operations, advocacy, and awareness campaigns in collaboration with various stakeholders.
Mr. Afasi said over the years the organisation has worked alongside several state institutions mandated by law, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, the Anti-Human Trafficking Secretariat, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Attorney General’s Department, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in combating human trafficking.
Mr. Afasi emphasised that a public health approach is a crucial missing link in addressing human trafficking. This approach aims to prevent trafficking by tackling root causes like poverty and lack of education, mitigate impacts by providing immediate health and psychological care to victims, and address the long-term needs of survivors through rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
He also identified economic hardships, unemployment, poverty, and lack of awareness about human trafficking as significant drivers of modern slavery.
“For instance, individuals from impoverished communities are often lured by traffickers under the guise of job opportunities, only to be exploited in foreign countries or urban areas,” he explained.
Mr. Afasi called for the integration of public health strategies into anti-trafficking efforts, urging public health experts to lend their expertise to the fight against human trafficking.
He made these remarks during a lecture on human trafficking at Ensign Global College, where participants were introduced to various forms of human trafficking, including forced labour, sexual exploitation, organ trafficking, and domestic servitude.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke