The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called on all Ghanaians to remain vigilant and actively support efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly the growing trend of trafficking linked to sports activities and deceptive migration opportunities.

The minister made the call during the media launch of the 2026 commemoration of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, popularly known as Blue Day, marked annually on July 30.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Lartey stressed that human trafficking continues to thrive when communities fail to report suspicious activities and neglect the protection of vulnerable people, especially children and young persons.

She urged citizens to become more alert and proactive in identifying and reporting suspicious recruitment schemes and movements of persons within communities.

“Every citizen therefore has responsibility to remain vigilant, report suspicious recruitments and movement of persons, protect children and vulnerable young people and support efforts aimed at preventing exploitations in our communities,” she stated. “We must all become ambassadors against trafficking.”

The Gender Minister highlighted the increasing concern over trafficking through sports-related activities, where unsuspecting young people are lured with false promises of professional opportunities abroad, only to end up exploited.

She noted that cyber-enabled exploitation, fake travel arrangements, and deceptive migration schemes have become emerging tactics used by trafficking networks targeting the youth.

Dr. Lartey further underscored the critical role of the media in the national fight against trafficking, describing journalists as strategic partners in raising awareness and driving social change.

According to her, sustained media engagement is necessary to educate the public on the dangers of trafficking, expose criminal syndicates, and amplify the experiences of survivors to encourage reporting and prevention.

She appealed to media practitioners to use both traditional and digital platforms to sustain public education ahead of the July 30 observance and beyond.

The minister also called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and local communities to deepen public awareness and strengthen preventive measures across the country.

She encouraged stakeholders to support regional and community-based activities planned for this year’s commemoration to ensure broader national participation and impact.

“This is the time to protect young people and this is the time to stand together against exploitation in all its forms,” she emphasised.

Dr Lartey reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to intensifying nationwide sensitization campaigns through community engagement programmes, traditional media, and digital communication channels to promote prevention, vigilance, and protection.

The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed globally every July 30, seeks to raise awareness on the plight of trafficking victims and promote the protection of their rights while strengthening international and national efforts to combat human trafficking.