82 Human Trafficking Victims Rescued in 2025
Children and young women freed from forced labour and exploitation across sectors
- 57 trafficked children rescued from forced labour on Lake Volta
- 25 Nigerian girls freed from cross-border prostitution ring
- All 82 victims receiving rehabilitation, support, or repatriation
Human rights NGO Challenging Heights, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, has rescued 82 victims of human trafficking and forced labour since the start of 2025.
Out of the rescued individuals, 57 were Ghanaian children—31 boys and 26 girls—who had been trafficked into the fishing industry on Lake Volta, one of the country’s trafficking hotspots. The remaining 25 victims, all young Nigerian girls, were liberated from forced prostitution in a cross-border operation.
Following the rescue, all victims have received appropriate support. The Ghanaian children are undergoing rehabilitation and educational assistance, while the Nigerian nationals have been safely repatriated to their home country.
Challenging Heights, a survivor-led organization, operates the largest rehabilitation center for trafficking victims in Ghana. Over the past two decades, it has worked hand-in-hand with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to combat human trafficking in sectors such as fishing, mining, and agriculture.
“We commend the CID for 20 years of relentless collaboration in fighting human trafficking in Ghana,” the organization noted in a statement.
The Global Slavery Index estimates that over 49.6 million people are currently trapped in modern slavery globally—with more than 91,000 in Ghana. Lake Volta alone is believed to have over 21,000 children involved in forced labour.
In response, Challenging Heights is urging the Minister of Finance to allocate GH¢20 million to the Human Trafficking Fund in the upcoming 2026 national budget, and also calling on the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection to amend the Human Trafficking Act (2005) to reflect today’s challenges.
Under current Ghanaian law, convicted traffickers face sentences ranging from 5 to 25 years. The organisation is encouraging the public to reject and report all forms of exploitation that contribute to trafficking.
