Canadians Lauren Tilley, left, and Bailey Chitty, who were abducted in Ghana on June 4, have been rescued and are safe. The two are volunteers with Youth Challenge International[/caption] Policy think-tank, Eban Centre for Human Trafficking Studies (ECHTS) has said it is “appalled and shattered with recent rise in kidnapping and trafficking cases” in Ghana, and has called on the government to act swiftly on the menace. The think-tank said available statistics shows that nearly 70 kidnapping cases were recorded in 2018 and that “the kidnapping trend is still pervasive”. It has thus recommended that the government partners with relevant stakeholders to deploy advanced technology to help in the search of kidnapped persons. In a statement Wednesday, signed by the Research Director, Chris Mensah-Ankrah, the think-tank named DeEye as a technology that can help advance the cause. DeEye, according to the group, is an App which uses Artificial intelligence (AI), real-time tracking and blockchain technology to help in the search for missing persons. “This App would serve as a channel for reporting and tracking human traffickers, kidnappers, as well victims”, it added. The group has also recommended the following for the consideration of government in the fight against kidnapping and trafficking:
- Enhance the border management information system in Ghana by building the technical capacity of immigration workers to manage borders and migration;
- Provide training for law enforcement agencies on data collection and analysis on the crimes of human trafficking and kidnapping;
- Maintain a database of verified victims of trafficking and kidnapping in order to monitor trends and location of kidnappings. Also, it should conduct systematic field research into the migrant population in Ghana, including the incidence of trafficking among this population;
- Build the capacity of judges and prosecutors in Ghana, in particular by providing training on human rights, refugee law, human trafficking and smuggling of persons, with a view to guaranteeing acceptable procedural standards during investigation and prosecution, and providing a consistent application of trafficking, asylum and immigration laws;
- Finally, we believe that generating jobs for citizens, especially the youth, can have a huge impact on the fight against kidnapping and other forms of crime in the country.