US embassy cable - 05ACCRA504

UNCLAS ACCRA 000504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GH, KWMN, PHUM, PREL, Trafficking 
SUBJECT: POST LOBBIES GOG ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LAW 
 
REF: A. ACCRA 364 
 
     B. ACCRA 7869 
     C. ACCRA 302 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
1.  (U)  Summary: Over the past three weeks -- in meetings 
with the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and others -- 
post has continued to urge the Government of Ghana to pass a 
trafficking in persons (TIP) bill.  There is a reasonable 
chance the bill will go to parliament by the end of April. 
End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  In a February 18 meeting with Leslie Christian, 
Supervising Director of Political and Economic Affairs at the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PolChief discussed Ghana's 
trafficking in persons (TIP) situation.  PolChief highlighted 
Ghana's status as the only Tier 1 country in sub-Saharan 
Africa but noted that this could be jeopardized if Ghana does 
not pass a TIP law by April.  Christian said he would share 
this information with others in the MFA. 
 
3.  (U)  On March 4, Ambassador used a courtesy call with new 
Speaker of Parliament Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes to urge 
parliament to pass a trafficking in persons (TIP) law once 
the GOG submits it to parliament.  The Ambassador explained 
the possible consequences of not passing a TIP bill soon. 
Hughes agreed to give the bill "appropriate attention." 
PolChief gave Deputy Speaker Freddie Blay a backgrounder on 
our TIP legislation and Tier system. 
 
4.  (U)  On March 8, PolChief raise the TIP bill with both 
the incoming and outgoing Chief Directors of the Ministry of 
Women and Children's Affairs.  They said the Attorney 
General's office is preparing the bill for submission to 
Cabinet and that there was still a lack of clarity as to 
whether the Ministry of Women and Children or the Ministry of 
Manpower would take the lead on implementation.  Several NGOs 
working on TIP issues told PolChief they are also pushing the 
GOG for passage of the bill and are hopeful it will go to 
parliament by the end of April. 
 
5.  (SBU)  On March 9, in a meeting with President John 
Kufuor, the Ambassador urged him to help facilitate passage 
of the TIP law by the end of April so that Ghana would not 
lose its unique Tier One status.  Kufuor said "we will do it, 
we will not delay", but he also seemed skeptical with the 
heavy legislative agenda that it would occur in April. 
Presidential Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani said it would be 
difficult for parliament to pass the bill before the end of 
April, at the earliest, since this parliamentary session has 
almost ended (parliament will be in recess from March 
29-April 29).  Kufuor agreed, noting that the earliest 
possible passage was late April.  He asked what we could do 
to push back our deadline and the Ambassador responded that 
this review was annual and worldwide, implying not much 
flexibility. 
 
6.  (SBU)  Comment:  These meetings, as well as our recent 
meetings with the Minister of Justice, Minister of 
Employment, Youth and Manpower Development, and Minister of 
Women and Children's Affairs (reftels), have left a clear 
message with the GOG that passage of the TIP legislation is a 
top USG priority in Ghana.  Cabinet has not met for several 
weeks which, together with the recently submitted budget, 
have delayed moving the TIP bill to parliament.  We will keep 
pushing the TIP issue and are hopeful this uncontroversial 
bill will make it to parliament, and possibly be passed into 
law, by the end of April. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YATES