Government has been urged to integrate victim protection measures into Ghana’s fight against illegal mining (galamsey), to address growing concerns about human trafficking within mining communities.

Delivering a statement for and on behalf of the International Centre for Safe Migration (ICSM) and the Handmaids of the Divine Redeemer Sisters’ Foundation (HDRSF), Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Justice Kudzo Normeshie, the Focal Person, said the country’s response to galamsey had largely focused on environmental degradation and economic losses, with little attention to the plight of trafficked victims.

He made the call during the commemoration of the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality.

DSI Normeshie noted that although enforcement operations against illegal mining were necessary, such interventions risked displacing rather than dismantling human trafficking networks when not supported by clear victim identification and protection systems.

“Remote galamsey sites, often cut off from routine state presence, cannot be adequately addressed by environmental task forces alone,” he said.

He explained that several of these areas had become hotspots for the exploitation of vulnerable persons, particularly women, girls, and children, who were trapped in various forms of trafficking and forced labour.

DSI Normeshie stressed that the absence of structured victim identification protocols, referral mechanisms, and reintegration support continued to weaken efforts to combat trafficking linked to illegal mining.

He therefore called on the government, security agencies, and stakeholders to adopt a more comprehensive and victim-centred approach to addressing the issue.

He recommended the introduction of targeted victim identification and rescue strategies in mining-affected districts, expansion of social welfare and security presence in remote communities, and the establishment of safe and confidential reporting channels.

The International Centre for Safe Migration (ICSM) and the Handmaids of the Divine Redeemer Sisters’ Foundation (HDRSF), also called for intensified investigations and prosecution of trafficking networks operating alongside illegal mining activities.

They emphasised that Ghana’s fight against galamsey must be matched by deliberate efforts to protect and restore the dignity of victims trapped within the illegal mining ecosystem.