Twenty-two (22) children have been rescued from human trafficking operations by Challenging Heights in partnership with state security agencies.
The victims consist of 11 boys and 11 girls, aged between 7 and 13, who were liberated from various forms of forced labor, including dangerous fishing activities. The rescue operation was conducted with assistance from the Ghana Police Service and the Department of Social Welfare.
In an interview on Tuesday, March 24, James Kofi Annan, the President of Challenging Heights, urged the government to allocate a minimum of GH¢20 million to frontline institutions, citing significant resource limitations in the battle against human trafficking.
He stated that agencies legally tasked with addressing trafficking in Ghana are severely underfunded, which hampers their capacity to respond effectively to incidents. He cautioned that without immediate investment, efforts to combat this crime could be greatly compromised.
He also disclosed a rising trend of victims being trafficked from Nigeria into Ghana for exploitation, with many being forced into prostitution and cybercrime activities.
The organization reported that it rescued 201 trafficking victims in 2025 alone. Of this total, 90 were boys, and 111 were girls, underscoring the magnitude of the issue.
A detailed analysis of the figures indicates that 81 of the victims were Nigerians coerced into prostitution and cybercrime, while 120 were rescued from the fishing industry, particularly around the Volta Lake.
