Legal practitioner, Lawyer Kyei Badu, has called for stronger measures and faster prosecution processes to curb human trafficking in Ghana. Speaking on the Teknokrat Show on Focus 94.3 FM on October 23, 2025, he said although Ghana has laws to fight human trafficking, the existing penalties and systems are not strong enough to deter offenders.
“Our criminal prosecution takes time. When you arrest someone, there is still the presumption that the person is innocent.
You need evidence and witnesses to secure a conviction, and sometimes, victims fail to show up to testify,” he noted. Lawyer Badu explained that under Ghana’s Human Trafficking Act, convicted traffickers face a minimum of five years and a maximum of 25 years imprisonment, but he believes the punishment should be tougher.
“If you compare our penalty to other jurisdictions, ours is not deterrent enough,” he said. He identified poverty as one of the major causes of human trafficking, revealing that some traffickers lure parents with money or abduct their victims.
“People give birth and are willing to do anything to survive. Some traffickers give huge sums of money to parents or use threats and kidnappings,” he added.
Lawyer Badu further mentioned that institutions such as CHRAJ, the Legal Aid Board, specialized police units, and rehabilitation centers are working together to tackle trafficking and support victims. He also stressed the need to protect children and proposed the creation of specialized courts to handle trafficking cases.
“The judicial service could create specific courts where human trafficking cases are filed, expedited, and convictions are secured,” he suggested. In conclusion, Lawyer Badu urged all stakeholders to “up their game” to safeguard vulnerable people, especially children.
“We need better protection for victims, stronger penalties, and faster trials to truly stop trafficking and keep our children safe,” he emphasized.