Challenging Heights, a renowned human rights organisation in Ghana, has successfully rescued 82 victims of human trafficking and forced labor since the beginning of 2025. Collaborating with the Ghana Police Service, they freed 57 children, comprising 31 boys and 26 girls, who were trafficked into the fishing industry, primarily on Lake Volta. Additionally, 25 Nigerian girls were rescued from forced prostitution in a cross-border trafficking operation.
These rescued victims have received various forms of support, with the Ghanaian children undergoing rehabilitation and educational assistance. The 25 Nigerian nationals have been safely repatriated to their home country. Challenging Heights operates the largest rehabilitation center for trafficking victims in Ghana and has worked closely with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for two decades to rescue thousands of children from exploitative labor.
“We commend the CID for 20 years of relentless collaboration in fighting human trafficking in Ghana,” the organization stated. According to the Global Slavery Index, over 49.6 million people worldwide are trapped in modern slavery, with over 91,000 in Ghana. Lake Volta alone is estimated to have over 21,000 children engaged in forced labour.
To combat this crisis, Challenging Heights is urging the Minister of Finance to allocate a minimum of GH¢20 million to the Human Trafficking Fund in the upcoming 2026 national budget. They also appealed to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection to amend Ghana’s Human Trafficking Act (2005) to reflect current realities and challenges. The organization emphasizes the importance of public awareness and refraining from engaging in or supporting any form of exploitation that could result in human trafficking.
