Ghana is coordinating with Ivorian authorities to rescue over 200 citizens held in remote parts of Côte d’Ivoire, part of a transnational human trafficking operation targeting more than 700 Ghanaians across West Africa.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the crisis in Parliament on July 23, revealing victims are trapped in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo under inhumane conditions after falling prey to a QNET-linked scam.
According to Ablakwa, victims aged 20–40 paid GH¢18,000–GH¢40,000 to fraudulent agents posing as travel facilitators. Instead of visas to France, Canada, or Qatar, they were trafficked and detained. Ghanaian embassies are collaborating with Interpol and local authorities for repatriation, having already rescued over 400 people since 2021. “Diplomatic missions are providing critical consular services,” the Minister confirmed.
The government will launch a nationwide sensitization campaign in September with the National Commission for Civic Education to expose QNET’s deceptive operations. Ablakwa urged public vigilance and information sharing to dismantle the syndicate, noting no arrests have yet been made despite ongoing cross-border investigations.
