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Otiko Djaba assures of commitment to close down witch camps
Gender Minister Otiko Djaba says her ministry is committed to helping reintegrate into the society those who have been banished to witch camps.
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A number of witch camps can be found in the Northern Region of Ghana, with persons suspected to be witches and wizards normally banished to such camps.
However, the Gender Minister insists plans are underway to close down all witch camps in the region and around the country.
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Speaking on the floor of Parliament Thursday, Madam Otiko Djaba said many of the alleged witches in these witch camps have declined to go home for fear of being victimized or lynched.
This, she said, has made it difficult for the Ministry to reintegrate them into the society despite numerous efforts.
“Recent reports on alleged witches being burnt is disturbing, and, so, the issue of reintegrating them into society is of serious concern to the Ministry,” Ms. Djaba said.
She further stated that her Ministry has already visited the Gambaga witch camp and will make efforts to integrate those whose communities are ready to accept them back.
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According to her, the Ministry will support them to be able to live on their own by training and providing them with skills through the Livelihood Empowerment Alleviation programme (LEAP).
“We have visited the Gambaga Witch Camp and we’ve put some of them on LEAP and with the new LEAP, what we intend to do is that those who can be reintegrated, the various discussions between the community and the alleged witches will continue to go on.
“However, some of them don’t want to go back to their communities because they feel that anytime something bad happens in the community, they are the first to be accused like when somebody’s child dies or there is any mishap.
“And so, because of that we intend with the new LEAP to provide the productive ones with skills training and wherever they want to stay we will support them to be able to live on their own,” she added.
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