Takoradi, Nov. 19, GNA - Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, the Western Regional=

Deputy Minister, on Wednesday called on the Ghana Police Service and its allied security agencies to step up effort in the fight against human trafficking.

She said the Service must introduce anti-trafficking mechanisms and increase public awareness on the menace. Ms Bosomtwi-Sam said this at the inauguration of the Western Regiona= l Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service under the theme: 'Don't Close Your Eyes to Human Trafficking' at Takoradi. The programme, a collaborative effort between the Police and UNICEF,=

was deemed timely in the region because of the oil find which was attract= ing all shades of people from different walks of life.

She observed that human trafficking had become a lucrative industry and was regarded as third most profitable illegal activity aside drugs and ar= ms adding that the majority of trafficking was done in networks and by large=

criminal organisation.

Ms Bosomtwi-Sam noted how vulnerable and powerless the trafficked children were adding "They often come from poorer areas where opportuniti= es are limited". She lauded the passage of the anti-human trafficking legislation and=

said the law enforcement agencies would be given the needed training to tackle human trafficking.

Policies aimed at rooting out corruption and organized crime, she sa= id, would also be promoted. DCOP Mohammed Hamidu, Regional Police Commander noted that law enforcement should be a shared responsibility between security agencies a= nd the public. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Frank Adu-Poku, Director General o= f the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said Ghana currently is plag= ued with all the three illicit trade, namely drug, arms and human trafficking= .. He said this was unfortunate and undermined the security of this country as human trafficking robbed children, women and other victims of their dignity, future and sometimes their lives. According to him, many people did not know the full implication of human trafficking and therefore sensitizing the public was very important= ..