Gender Ministry trains security personnel on human trafficking and border management

Gender Ministry trains security personnel on human trafficking and border management

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with development partners have organised a joint capacity building training program on human trafficking, border management and refugee laws for some selected law enforcement officers in Tamale.
The training was organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ghana Immigration Service under the implementation of two European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa projects – the “Support to the fight against human trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea countries” and “Strengthening Border Security in Ghana” – and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Specific Objective of the project is to contribute to the development of the long-term capability of Ghana’s border control authorities, in particular GIS, while guaranteeing respect for the rule of law and human rights standards.

The 6-day training drew participants from Northern, Savannah, Upper West, Upper East and North East regions.

Madam Amala Obiokoye Nwalor, who works at the Head of Office of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, addressing participants saideffective border management and security is not a one-agency effort, a fact recognised by government of Ghana when border security agencies signed a MoU in 2019, committing to work together in line with IBM concept.

“In ICMPD, we subscribe to the IBM approach of intra- and inter-agency collaboration, information exchange and joint operations. Which is why the Strengthening Border Security in Ghana project (SBS) funded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) conceptualised this training in collaboration with Expertise France and UNHCR” she noted.

She noted that the ultimate aim of the training was to create a pool of officers from the different border agencies to form joint mobile teams for the patrol of Ghana’s borders.

“The idea is not to reinvent the wheel, but to support the implementation of existing frameworks such as the IBM framework and the MoU between GIS and Customs division of GRA. The programme will leverage on the immense capacities already existing within the different agencies here present” she further explained.

On her part, Ms Sena Owusu–Gibson, acting Head, Human Trafficking Secretariat of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection said trafficking is a crime being carried out by organised cartels with complicated mundus operandi.

“Organised efforts are therefore, needed to fight and curtail these criminal acts. It is in this light that the Ministry is happy with the various joint efforts and collaboration by governmental and non-government organizations, not only in combating human trafficking, but also ensuring regular and safe migration for all and also protecting the rights and safety of all migrants (regular or irregular) wherever they may find themselves” she intimated.

She noted that a holistic approach is needed to effectively tackle human trafficking and related issues in the light of the security threat it possess to the nation and indeed, to global security and peace.

She explained that “the purpose of this training therefore, is to equip officers from different law enforcement agencies with knowledge and other requisite skills in Integrated Border Management, counter-terrorism management, human trafficking and the identification and protection of refugees in line with obligations under the Ghana Refugee Law”.

Ms Sena Owusu–Gibson said the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is mandated by the   Human Trafficking Act of 2005, Act 694, and other legislative Instruments, including the National Plan of Action (NPA) to organize specialized training for  law enforcement agencies and other officers working in the area of human trafficking and related issues and to coordinate all activities of human trafficking in Ghana .

“The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection together with our partners have embarked on eight (8) zonal trainings for key law enforcement officers. Today’s program is an advanced training for selected officers from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Revenue Authority and Economic and Organized Crime Office from the Northern, North East, Upper East, Savannah, Upper West, Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East and Eastern Regions who have undertaken an earlier training. Since 2021, the Ministry has trained 466 officers under the Expertise France Project. In 2022 alone, the Ministry with the support of Expertise France trained 239 law enforcement officers” she noted.

The project is being supported the European Union, Expertise France,SBS Ghana, the UN refugee agency, International Centre for Migration Policy Development among others.

Source: Ibrahim Angaangmeni Alhassan