SEWA Foundation Ghana has raised alarm over what it describes as a new wave of human trafficking involving vulnerable Ghanaians being recruited under the guise of lucrative employment opportunities in the Gulf region.
The organisation says the situation has evolved from exploitative labour recruitment into dangerous forms of irregular migration, with traffickers allegedly finding new routes to circumvent visa restrictions and other measures previously introduced by the government.
In a statement, SEWA Foundation Ghana said unscrupulous recruiters were using unregulated channels to move Ghanaians into Gulf countries where they could be exposed to exploitation and conditions amounting to modern-day slavery.
The foundation said it had previously conducted investigations in the Gulf region and documented the conditions faced by some Ghanaian workers.
According to the organisation, evidence gathered during those investigations was presented to the government and contributed to measures that resulted in the suspension of visas to some countries.
It said the restrictions, however, had not eliminated the activities of traffickers, who had instead adapted by using new and clandestine routes into Gulf countries that do not have formal bilateral labour agreements or official partnerships with Ghana.
President of SEWA Foundation Ghana, Mr Jones Owusu Yeboah, urged the government, corporate leaders and the public to treat the emerging situation as an urgent national concern.
“We cannot afford to look away while our youth are being funneled into danger,” he said.
Mr Owusu Yeboah said the organisation’s previous interventions had demonstrated the effectiveness of government action but warned that traffickers were continuously changing their methods.
He called for an immediate and coordinated response to dismantle the new trafficking networks and protect young Ghanaians seeking employment abroad.
The foundation has proposed a three-pronged response to the situation.
It is calling on government institutions to investigate and dismantle emerging trafficking routes, strengthen border controls and take action against unlicensed or rogue recruitment agencies operating outside regulatory oversight.
SEWA Foundation Ghana is also urging prospective migrants to exercise caution when considering overseas employment opportunities, particularly offers to Gulf countries without transparent and verifiable labour arrangements with the Government of Ghana.
The organisation further called for intensified public education campaigns on the dangers of human trafficking and irregular migration.
It urged radio and television stations, as well as digital and social media platforms, to increase awareness of trafficking risks and educate the public on how to identify fraudulent recruitment schemes.
SEWA Foundation Ghana said human trafficking thrives when potential victims lack access to reliable information and urged all stakeholders to work together to prevent vulnerable Ghanaians from falling victim to traffickers.
The foundation reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable people, promoting human dignity and supporting efforts to combat human trafficking, while calling for a unified national response to the emerging threat.
