Accra, May 15, GNA - Mrs. Joyce Larko Steiner, Senior Programmes Officer of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), has appealed to journalists and stakeholders to collaborate effectively to win the fight against human trafficking.

She said though there had been public and governmental concerns on human trafficking and all forms of hazardous activities against children, the practice was still alarming in various communities in Ghana.

Mrs. Steiner made the appeal in Accra on Tuesday at day's forum for media personnel from the Greater Accra and Northern Regions to discuss the various legislative instruments that sought to protect the rights of the child and human trafficking laws. The forum also enabled participants to discuss ways of collaboration in the promotion of the rights of the child and to introduce media personnel to the nature and scope of child trafficking in Ghana.

Mrs. Steiner who presented a paper on "The nature and scope of trafficking in Ghana" catalogued the various channels of human trafficking urged the media to intensify education on human trafficking law and trafficking itself.

She said the CCG was working to reduce the practice in the Tolon/Kumbungu area, Tamale Metropolis in the Northern Region, Dangme West and Ga West in the Greater Accra Region, where it was prevalent. Mrs. Grace Osei-Hwere, a legal practitioner, said the lack of awareness of the existence of a law on human trafficking was one of the reasons why people did not report cases to the police for prosecution. She said there was the need for the public to volunteer information on people who were suspicious of trafficking humans especially children, to ensure that the practice was stopped.

Some of the media personnel called for stiffer punishment to make human trafficking a disincentive and urged stakeholders to network regularly with media personnel to win the fight.