The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has affirmed its commitment to strengthening international cooperation to combat human trafficking, forced labour, child labour, and employment-related fraud.
In a bilateral engagement with a United States delegation led by the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, Mr Rolf A. Olson, the ministry described ongoing efforts between both countries to address labour-related crimes and protect vulnerable workers.
The Sector Minister, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, reiterated Ghana’s longstanding partnership with the United States and assured the delegation of the Ministry’s readiness to address forced labour, child labour and employment fraud in line with international best practices.
Dr Pelpuo outlined key government measures, which include the implementation of child labour elimination initiatives, such as the Ghana Accelerated Action Plan on Child Labour, strengthened district-level collaborations, particularly in the Western Region, and capacity-building programmes for District Labour Officers to improve identification, enforcement, and reporting.
He further announced ongoing efforts to institutionalise a structured Pre-Departure Orientation programme for migrant workers, supported by a comprehensive manual currently under development, aimed at safeguarding the rights and welfare of Ghanaian workers seeking employment abroad.
Dr Pelpuo clarified that sex trafficking falls under the mandate of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, referencing recent enforcement actions, including the QNET case, while noting the complementary role of the Ministry in regulating employment processes.
The Minister also highlighted the role of state security agencies, including the Police Criminal Investigations Department and the Economic and Organised Crime Office, in tackling cyber-related crimes and employment scams.
He emphasised that the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment remains the central authority for coordinating all employment-related matters, both domestic and international, on behalf of the government.
He announced that the Ghana Labour Market Information System, which is expected to become operational soon, has been developed to regulate recruitment processes, provide credible labour market information, and prevent employment fraud. The system will be accessible across all 16 regional Public Employment Centres nationwide.
On his part, the Deputy Director at the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Mr Matthew Hickey, noted that human trafficking and labour exploitation remain major global challenges and continue to receive high-level attention from the U.S. Government.
He disclosed that the United States lost over USD 10 billion to scams in the past year, many of which are linked to organised transnational criminal networks.
The U.S. delegation commended the Government of Ghana for the enhanced measures being implemented to curb trafficking, labour fraud and related crimes, including actions taken against transnational criminal syndicates and recent extraditions.
Discussions focused on concerns such as false labour recruitment, sex trafficking, forced labour, particularly within cocoa-growing communities, and organised networks that recruit individuals under the guise of employment opportunities abroad, only for victims to be trafficked to unintended destinations, including parts of Southeast Asia. The delegation also noted that some victims of forced labour are exploited to perpetrate fraud against U.S. citizens.
The increasing use of Artificial Intelligence by criminal networks to facilitate fraud and exploitation was highlighted, with encouragement for the adoption of technology-driven tools to support detection, monitoring and disruption of such activities. Additional concerns were raised about exploitative labour practices in foreign medical deployments, where workers are reportedly compelled to forfeit portions of their earnings and face restrictions on family contact.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration to combat human trafficking, forced labour, child labour and employment scams. The U.S. delegation expressed its readiness to support Ghana’s efforts and encouraged the identification of areas of mutual benefit for future cooperation.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
