Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Olufemi Micheal Abikoye, has met over 500 Nigerian girls who are engaging in commercial sex activities in Kumasi.
The meeting forms part of measures to liaise with relevant authorities to find decent jobs for the girls who are mostly trafficked to Ghana to engage in such illegal activities.
Efforts are also underway to repatriate girls who have been trafficked to Ghana to engage in commercial sex work.
Olufemi Micheal Abikoye is outraged at the increasing number of Nigerian citizens engaging in illicit activities in some parts of Ghana.
The High Commissioner cited cyber-crime, prostitution and child trafficking, as some nefarious acts Nigerian nationals living in Ghana were engaging in.
He made the remarks at the Ceeta-Kel hotel in Kumasi as part of his tour to meet the Nigerian community in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, as well as city authorities in both regions.
245 suspected drug peddlers, prostitutes arrested in Ashanti
Mr. Abikoye also met police in the Ashanti region after over thirty (30) female Nigerian sex workers and child-traffickers were arrested by the command in a massive swoop.
He said it was high time the Nigerian community in Ghana supported the High Commission to work at nipping such negative activities in the bud.
He indicated that, the activities of these young girls were denting the image of Nigeria.
“Let’s face the truth, let’s talk to ourselves as Nigerians. Go and see what aged 14, 15 little girls are doing here. I mean, I am a parent and it is something that bothers my heart that can make me cry. How can a 10-year old, a 12-year old girl be engaging in this type thing. I am going there. Is that the place I should be going? Is that what I should do as High Commissioner?”
He expressed concern about how teenage girls who have been trafficked from Nigeria to Ghana are engaging in commercial sex work.
Ashanti Regional Police Commander, COP Ken Yeboah, told Citi News the meeting discussed ways to send young girls trafficked from Nigeria back home.
He said some of the girls the police arrested were sent back to custody after they were screened.
COP Yeboah disclosed that police have begun investigations to identify persons behind the trafficking of the young girls.