Enforce criminal amendment law on Trokosi-Kufogbe

Ada (E/R), June 24 GNA- The promulgation of the criminal amendment code Act 1998 has led to the practice of Trokosi tradition in secrecy during nocturnal hours.

"There are many practicing communities where Trokosi practitioners and devotees have become nocturnal visitors to the shrine because of the mistrust of the affected persons in the formal judicial system," a research finding has stated.

Speaking at a workshop to disseminate research outcomes on Trokosi practice in Ghana on Tuesday at Ada, Mr. Sothenes Kufogbe, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana and Independent Researcher said it was surprising that the practice still continues in spite of the law decriminalizing the practice, adding that no arrests have been made for prosecution.

The study conducted by Mr. Kufogbe was funded by AUS-AID, an International support group.

"There was the need to take a more critical look at the law and its implementation mechanisms since the mistrust of the affected persons in the formal Judicial system makes Trokosi a more readily available option for seeking social justice in the practicing communities," Mr. Kufogbe explained.

He noted that the Trokosi practice still persists due to lack of enforcement of the law by the responsible government institutions. According to Mr. Kufogbe, a crude estimate of numbers show that the number of subjects directly under the practice was about 278 in a total of 25 shrines.

"Of the total estimated crude number, about 53.9 percent are in the Ketu district where most of the shrines were still active. In spite of the large number of releases and benefits received from intervention packages, the North Tongu District still accounts for about 20.5 percent and Dangme East, Dangme West, South Tongu and Akatsi districts have lowest figures, he said.

Mr. Kufogbe said by 2003, International Needs Ghana (ING), a Non-Governmental organization with support from local and international groups had succeeded in liberating and rehabilitating about 3500 out of the estimated 5000 women and children from Trokosi servitude. "While the study supports a review and upgrading of release packages, particularly the skills training projects for the total liberation and rehabilitation, this strategy should proceed cautiously so that ING and other stakeholder institutions are not seen as "Father Christmas" in view of other on-going Poverty alleviation programmes in the districts, such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) and the schools feeding programme," he said.

According to Mr. Kufogbe, on-going programmes of advocacy and civic education should be targeted at all shrine priests, subjects, their families and entire communities and accelerated to ensure total elimination of those aspects of Trokosi practice that continue to violate the fundamental human rights of the vulnerable in practicing communities.

Participants were drawn from Non-Governmental organizations, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), District Assemblies, Development Partners, Ex-victims of the Trokosi practice and people from practicing communities.