Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, has appealed to the Judiciary to assist the Police Anti-Human Trafficking Unit by
disposing off with dispatch cases of human trafficking before the law courts.
He said if cases of human trafficking were dealt with expeditiously by the Judiciary it would reduce the crime rate and also served as deterrent to would-be perpetrators.
The speedy trial and sentencing of perpetrators might discourage the occurrence of the atrocious acts and would encourage the society to assist in exposing and arresting those
involved, the Regional Minister stressed.
Mr Nyamekye Marfo made the appeal on Thursday at the inauguration of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Directorate of the Unit in Sunyani under the theme: "Don't Close Your Eyes on Human
Trafficking".
The inauguration of the Unit in Brong-Ahafo marked the seventh in the country within the two years of its existence under the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.
The Regional Minister noted that the task of halting the menace was great and onerous, adding the burden of checking it was the responsibility of everyone, both individuals and organisations.
He urged all transport associations to join in the fight against crime, since some agents transport victims, particularly from the rural communities, in vehicles.
Mr Nyamekye Marfo also appealed to chiefs and opinion leaders to watch out in their towns and villages to flush out the perpetrators "who come as agents with enticements to recruit
victims".
He urged the Police to persist in the face of limited resources and be tactically and psychologically ready for the challenges involved in the effort to halt menace.
The Regional Minister gave the assurance that Government was committed to providing the unit with the needed financial and logistical support to enhance its operations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Seth Charles Oteng, Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Commander in an inaugural address on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul
Tawiah Quaye, stated human trafficking unlike other crimes as stealing and fraud, directly affected the health and social and economic development of victims, who were mostly females and children.
He said human trafficking impacted negatively on the national economy as it contributed to the breeding of street children,
unskilled labour, and worse of all women forced into prostitution
contracted all kinds of venereal diseases including HIV/AIDS.
DCOP Oteng stated that the police administration with the collaboration of other security agencies, were determined to eliminate human trafficking. He gave the assurance that the police would not relent in their efforts, saying "until trafficking in human beings is no more practised in our society".
Nana Twereko Ampim III, Chief of Ntotroso in Asutifi District and President of Ahafo-Ano Traditional Council, who presided, lauded the inauguration of the Unit in the region, where he said the menace was rampant.
He said the Asutifi, Bui and Yeji areas in the region were prominently noted for the obnoxious practice "because of the gold mining, the dam construction and fishing respectively".
Nana Ampim admitted that fighting crime was the responsibility of every one and urged traditional authorities not to hesitate to
collaborate with the police to check the menace.
Superintendent Patience Quaye, Director of the Unit later in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said Ghana was now rated at tier two instead of tier one.
She explained that tier one implied the human trafficking crime rate in a country was either non-existent or very minimal whilst tier
two meant the rate was high and the tier three very high.
Supt. Quaye complemented the appeal to the Judiciary for cases of human trafficking to be tried in a speedy manner to justify the country's determination to deal effectively with the menace.
There were solidarity messages from other security agencies and organisations including the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, Legal
Resource Centre of the Police and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
Prior to the inaugural ceremony, there was a float by the Police through the principal streets of Sunyani, holding placards with inscriptions that read "stop human trafficking, it is a killer", "human trafficking is a crime against humanity", "perpetrators will be jailed five years minimum", among others.