Assessing stakeholders’ roles in controlling human trafficking in the eastern region of Ghana

Abstract

Undoubtedly, human trafficking, endangers human rights and the security of the individual human being as well as global security at large. The main objective of the study was to assess the stakeholder institutions in controlling human trafficking in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Multistage sampling approach which includes cluster, stratified and purposive sampling methods were used to select a total sample size of 100 respondents for the study. Since the problem under investigation is sensitive, snowballing sampling method was used in some instances to identify some respondents, especially trafficked victims. The main research instruments used to get data from the respondents were self-administered questionnaire and unstructured interview guide. The findings of the study revealed that few of the state institutions had specific policies on human trafficking. The study also established that mining and farming communities in the Eastern Region served as places of origin and destination for human trafficking. It was further found that the stakeholders play little role in controlling human trafficking because of limited technical and logistical capacity. It was therefore recommended that since the major places of origin and destination of human trafficking in the Eastern Region were mining, farming and fishing communities, it would be prudent for key stakeholders such as the police, chiefs and opinion leaders, and NGOs to double their efforts to embark on periodic public sensitisation and orientation for the people in those communities. This can help minimise the menace of human trafficking to its barest minimum.