Ghanaians Not Part Of Libya Slave Trade – Gov’t

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that no Ghanaian has been involved in the slave trade reported in Libya.

According to the Ministry, all Ghanaians being detained in the Northern Africa country are being held on illegal immigration charges and not being traded as slaves as earlier reported by the media.

“The 168 Ghanaians in Libya were arrested on illegal immigration charges,” the deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Habib Mohammed said on Morning Starr Wednesday.

He added that the ministry has issued the necessary travel documents to facilitate their repatriation to Ghana on a chartered flight.

Mr. Mohammed disclosed that the 168 Ghanaians arrested included eight women and four children. He added that those Ghanaians are likely to arrive in Ghana by Thursday.

Footage of men being auctioned off as slaves in Libya has been met with outrage and the UN Secretary-General has called on the international community to “unite in fighting this scourge”.

Last week, CNN published a report on modern slavery in Libya, the video that reportedly was shot in August depicts a man openly auctioning African migrants for farm work. “Big strong boys,” the man said in the video, according to a CNN narrator. “400 … 700 … 800,” he called out prospective buyers. The men were eventually sold for about $400 each.

Also read: The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims that the country is engaged in slavery. The Charge d’Affaires to Ghana Salah Al. Kony denounced says the video on the purported slave trade in Libya making rounds not only false but unfortunate.

The Libyan Foreign Affairs Ministry is calling on the international organization to help restore peace and security in Libya, according to the Charge d’Affaires to Ghana Salah Al. Kony such nature of the crisis cannot be managed alone by the Libyan authorities.

Mr. Mohammed added that the African Union is sending an investigative team to probe the slave trade in Libya.