Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has informed Parliament that over 500 Ghanaians, primarily young people, are being held in isolated locations across Côte d’Ivoire by a cross-border trafficking and scamming syndicate known as QNET.
He described this situation as a worsening humanitarian crisis, noting that many of the individuals orchestrating these fraudulent schemes are Ghanaians who were once victims themselves.
In response to an urgent question from MP Eric Afful, representing Amenfi West, Hon. Ablakwa explained that the QNET scam represents a regional threat that spans several West African countries, including Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. The traffickers lure Ghanaians to Côte d’Ivoire under the pretext of helping them secure jobs or facilitating travel to countries like France and Canada, only to later hold them against their will.
“These scammers promise jobs abroad, demand initial payments of up to GH₵20,000, and then instruct the victims to travel to Côte d’Ivoire to complete the process,” he said.
Communities in Côte d’Ivoire identified as QNET hotspots include Bondoukou, Abengourou, Daloa, Gagnoa, Man, and parts of Abidjan such as Yopougon and Bingerville. Victims are often forced to lure more family members and friends into the scam to secure their release.
According to the Minister, Ghana’s embassy in Abidjan, working with Interpol and Ivorian authorities, has so far rescued and repatriated 230 victims between 2021 and 2025. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, over 30 victims were brought back to Ghana.
“Our mission in Nigeria has also rescued 202 Ghanaians—78 through the Abuja mission and 124 through the Lagos mission,” Ablakwa added.
Despite these efforts, he emphasised the difficulty of pinpointing the exact number of victims due to the clandestine nature of their movement and captivity.
“The victims often arrive silently in Côte d’Ivoire, making it extremely difficult to track them. In most cases, we only receive information through relatives or community leaders,” he noted.
To combat the growing threat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading a multi-agency national sensitisation campaign on regular migration and human trafficking, set to begin by September 2025. The campaign targets youth and vulnerable communities.
“We’ve held two stakeholder meetings already and a third is scheduled for later this month to finalise the modalities,” the Minister told the House.
In addition, the government is negotiating bilateral labour agreements with countries including Kuwait, Germany, Italy, and Qatar to provide credible employment avenues for Ghanaians abroad.
Hon. Ablakwa urged the public to stay alert to the evolving tactics of the scammers and actively help in awareness creation.
“The proliferation of social media platforms continues to aid these fraudsters, making our job more challenging. We appeal to all Ghanaians to be cautious and help spread the word about these criminal networks,” he said.
He expressed appreciation for the support of the Ghanaian community in Côte d’Ivoire and assured that the ministry will continue to pursue the rescue and safe return of all trafficked citizens.
