One of 6 witch camps to be closed Monday

One of six witch camps in the northern part of Ghana will be permanently closed down today, Monday December 15, 2014.

About 50 alleged witches at the Bonyase camp will be reintegrated into communities of their choice after the closure of the camp.

The closure is being supervised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection.

Sector Minister Nana Oye Lithur recently said at the national conference held in Accra on witchcraft accusations and human rights abuses in Ghana that the mere existence of witch camps blights the country’s human rights record.

There are six of such camps in five districts of the Northern Region of Ghana. They are Kukuo, Gnani-Tindang, Gambaga, Bonyase, Tindan-zhie (Kpatinga) and Nabuli in Nanumba South, Yendi, East Mamprusi, Central Gonja and Gushegu districts respectively.

According to the Anti-Witchcraft Allegations Campaign Coalition (AWACC) Field Monitoring, as at May 2012 these witch camps cumulatively remained home to 541 alleged witches, and 503 of their children and grandchildren.

“The issue of witchcraft accusations is one which is deeply complex, extending beyond the issue of witch camps. Undoubtedly witch camps are a blight on our national human rights record but they exist as a symptom of a larger problem,” Lithur said Wednesday.

She said witchcraft accusations intersect with mental health and domestic violence issues, as well as issues of poverty, disability and gender inequality.

“We need to work together to develop a national consensus on the underlying issues surrounding the problem with the view of developing a collective national response to witchcraft accusation,” Lithur suggested, adding: “The complexity underlying the problem means we cannot just come up with a single and isolated solution.”

“It is instead important that all key stakeholders work together to pursue an integrated, long-term, national and inter-sectoral approach. There is the need for a very robust collaboration by all stakeholders here today.

“The development and adoption of a well-co-ordinated multi-disciplinary strategy, backed by real commitment and strong leadership from those present in the room today will ensure that we as a nation can end this shameful dehumanising practice,” the Minister, who is a staunch human rights advocate said.