GIS rescues two Nigerian women from trafficking and prostitution

The Tema Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has rescued two young Nigerian women from being trafficked into Ghana and introduced to prostitution.

Another woman, Favour Chidi, also a Nigerian, has been arrested by the Regional Immigration Command for attempting to traffick the two women.

The Tema Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration, (ACI) Mr Kojo Oppong Yeboah, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the suspect was picked up based on intelligence received by the command.

Both the suspect and the victims have been referred to Ghana Immigration Service Headquarters for further investigation and prosecution.

Victims

The victims, whose names are being withheld, are a 20-year-old fashion designer and a 19-year-old who had just completed her secondary education.

They were both rescued in Tema before they could be transported to the Western Region to start work.

Recruitment

Briefing the Daily Graphic, Mr Oppong Yeboah said the suspect, 20-year-old Chidi, through an agent in Nigeria, lured and recruited the two ladies from Nigeria to be transported to Ghana for the purpose of prostitution.

He said it was gathered during preliminary investigations that four ladies were recruited in Nigeria and promised to be offered lucrative jobs as sales girls in Ghana.

They were to be distributed to some unknown female prostitutes’ kingpins (madams) here in Ghana of which Chidi was included.

"Unfortunately, upon the arrival of the officers at the pickup location, two of the ladies had already been removed by some men and relocated to an unknown place."

He further indicated that investigation revealed that both victims were lured to come to Ghana to work in big shops as sales girls with attractive job conditions without knowing the actual work they were being recruited for.

"It was not until they arrived in Ghana that they were told they were brought to do prostitution in the Western North Region precisely Enchi, against their will," he said

Mr Oppong Yeboah, also intimated that further investigation revealed that the suspect, Ms Chidi, was once a victim who was brought to Ghana to work for a woman (madam) as a prostitute at Enchi in the Western North Region.

However, after serving a term of four months and paying all expenses incurred on her to the madam (perpetrator) as part of her recruitment agreement, she was set free and has become a madam herself.

She then started her own prostitution business and that was when she requested for the ladies to be sent to her from Nigeria to work for her as prostitutes.

ACI Oppong Yeboah cautioned that human trafficking in any form was dehumanising and illegal in Ghana and offenders were liable to a summary conviction of not less than five years’ imprisonment.

In addition to the jail terms, properties acquired from proceeds of human trafficking will be confiscated and auctioned to fund anti human trafficking programmes.
Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh