The Member of Parliament for Pru East, Hon. Emmanuel Kwaku Boam, has raised serious concerns about the growing trend of young people selling their property in order to travel abroad—often falling victim to human trafficking or becoming stranded in foreign countries.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Hon. Boam commended the Minister for providing a detailed response to questions on the issue but emphasized that the situation is dire in his constituency. He revealed that about thirty young men and women from Pru East have gone missing after attempting to travel, often through irregular means. He noted that families usually report these cases after losing contact with their loved ones, making it difficult to trace or assist the victims.
Hon. Boam also highlighted that specific areas in Côte d’Ivoire have been identified as hotspots for such activities. He urged the Minister to consider deeper collaboration with authorities in those regions to conduct raids and rescue the victims. He cited a troubling example of a teacher who, despite having a stable job, was lured into selling his house and gathering funds from relatives to embark on the journey—only to go missing.
He concluded by calling on Parliament and the government to take urgent and coordinated action to address the situation and bring the victims back home. He pressed the Minister for a plan on how the government intends to tackle the issue and repatriate affected citizens.
