Police committed in dealing with the menace of Human Trafficking

01-04-10 Police committed in dealing with the menace of Human Trafficking
Narration: The Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP frank Adu-Poku says the police administration is bent on establishing the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in all the ten regions across the country. This, he said, will enable the police to play a monitoring and supervisory role in dealing with persons involved in human trafficking activities along the country’s borders. DCOP Adu-Poku said this at the inaugural ceremony of the Upper East Anti-Human Trafficking office at Bolgatanga. The unit which is being inaugurated by the Ghana Police service with support of UNICEF was on the theme: “Look Beneath the surface: Human Trafficking is a modern –Day Slavery”. Isaac Asare and Selase Sedzi were there for Radio Ghana and have filed this report.
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Report

The passage of the country’s Human Trafficking Act (Act 694) in 2005 was to prevent, reduce and punish persons found culpable in Human Trafficking activities. It was later amended in 2009 to ensure its smooth implementation. DCOP Adu-Poku noted that human trafficking activities which includes sexual irregular migrations, child pornography, drug trafficking, removal of human parts among others have been on the ascendancy, particularly in the three regions of the north hence, the establishment of the Upper East Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, the fourth to be inaugurated in the country. DCOP Adu-Poku therefore urged police personnel to show professionalism in the discharge of their duties to help clamp down on perpetrators engaged in these criminal acts. He called for the support of the general public to help expose such miscreants for prosecution as stipulated in the section 2 of the Human trafficking amendment Act of 2009. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni cautioned parents to desist from the act of sending their wards down south to engage in non-existing jobs since the law will not spare anyone found culpable in that act. She entreated the various municipal and district assemblies to give much attention to the unit to ensure its smooth operation. Mrs. Awuni stressed that human trafficking can only successfully be combated through increased collaboration, intensive public education and coordination among security agencies. The Head of UNICEF, Northern Sector, Ms Shaya Ibrahim described the theme for the occasion as timely since the region is known for the increased spate of child migration and other related crimes. She however pledged UNICEF’s continuous support to the police in addressing the menace. Mrs. Lucy Awuni accompanied by other dignitaries present later cut the tape to inaugurate the office.
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