Immigration service rescues six girls and one woman from being trafficked to Lebanon
Officials from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have
rescued six girls aged between 21 and 22 from being trafficked to Lebanon.
The officers said the girls appear younger than
the ages in their passports.
The GIS in a statement said when the girls were
interviewed, they were unable to tell the purpose of their travel or their
final destination which led to further interrogation until it emerged that they
were being trafficked.
The girls are from Bono, Ashanti, North and the
Volta Regions.
The Regional Commander of the GIS at the Kotoka
International Airport (KIA), (ACI) Edith Penelope Arhin cautioned parents to
take keen interest in the welfare of their children especially the girl child
because travelling outside the country does not guarantee a better future.
“Parents should beware of people who pose as
travel agents with juicy proposals of taking their children abroad to better
their lives. There is no better job or greener pastures anywhere,” she stated.
Ms Arhin further cautioned young girls to
seriously pursue their educational goals and learn a trade or apprenticeship.
In a related development, GIS officials at KIA
also prevented a 26-year-old woman who was forced by her family to travel to
the Gulf State from embarking on the journey.
The lady, name withheld, who hails from Egbazo,
Nzema in the Western Region was spotted crying at the departure hall by an
officer. Upon interrogation, she revealed that she was recruited by one Alberta
who later transferred her to another agent by name Mina in Accra to facilitate
her travel to the Gulf State.
According to the victim, she was charged an
amount of GHS7,500 but her family was able to raise GHS2,200 with the promise
to pay the balance on her arrival in the Gulf State.
She further disclosed that her family had
threatened her not to return home should she refuse to travel to Lebanon.
Thorough check on her passport revealed that she
had travelled earlier on to Saudi Arabia.
About Author
Radia Sambare
Radia Sambare, is an online journalist, covers special events and reports about Africa and geopolitics, passionate about telling stories related to social justice and environmental issues. She's born and raised in Accra, Ghana.