Mr. Momodou Drammeh of the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) has called for stronger coordination and response mechanisms to tackle trafficking in persons (TIP) cases in The Gambia.
He made the remarks on Monday, July 6, 2026, during a presentation at the ECOWAS Parliament’s ongoing citizen engagement on irregular migration and trafficking in persons.
Drammeh explained that The Gambia continues to face serious challenges—economic hardship, social pressures, and institutional weaknesses—that traffickers exploit to target vulnerable groups. He stressed that addressing these vulnerabilities requires not only effective coordination but also improved victim protection services and prevention efforts.
He noted that trafficking in persons remains a pressing national and global concern, violating the fundamental human rights of the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. Among the key risk factors he cited were poverty and unemployment, irregular migration, child exploitation through forced labour and begging, and sexual exploitation of women and girls.
On current trends, Drammeh highlighted domestic labour and child trafficking, with children forced into street vending and begging, as well as the rise of online scamming operations where young people are coerced into fraud through threats and abuse.
The national response, he said, has included increased identification and prosecution of TIP cases, with five convictions secured and others remanded. A TIP-specific shelter has been established, and a new national action plan for 2026–2030 has been developed. The Trafficking in Persons Act of 2007 has also been reviewed to expand offences, while cooperation with Nigeria and Senegal has been strengthened through memoranda of understanding. Training workshops supported by UNODC have further built law enforcement capacity in investigation and case management.
Drammeh recommended additional measures such as capacity building for law enforcement, strengthening legal frameworks, and expanding awareness campaigns in rural and border communities.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Billay G. Tunkara, Head of the Gambian Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, described the initiative as an advocacy mission to complement government efforts. He emphasized that the parliament would support national efforts in tackling irregular migration, human trafficking, and drug abuse.
