Church Project reintegrates 313 "witches" into community

Gambaga (N/R), May 21, GNA - The Presbyterian Church of Ghana through it's "Go Home Project" for "witches" in Gambaga in the East Mamprusi District has reintegrated and rehabilitated 313 "witches" into their families and the community.

There are now only 78 women left in the 'Witches' Camp" at Gambaga. The women, averagely septuagenarians, have often been accused by their family members of spiritually causing misfortunes including, deaths of others through witchcraft.

They are beaten and driven out of their home villages to refuge camps where they fend for themselves.

Mr Simon Ngota, Project Supervisor of the Project made this known when he presented a brief history of the creation of the camp and explained why the Church had to intervene to provide shelter, food and clothing for the alleged witches.

The occasion, which was used for awareness creation of the "Go Home Project", was part of activities to mark the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Northern Presbytery of the Church in Gamabaga on Saturday.

Mr Ngota said the "Go Home Project" had led to the acceptance of the alleged witches into the community, the reduction in violence and brutalities formally meted on them and the teaching of personal hygiene, and environmental cleanliness.

He said children born in the camp also have access to school and that the women and their children had been registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Rev. Kwesi Addae Naami, Chairperson of the Northern Presbytery, said witchcraft was a social evil and human rights issue, which needed stronger advocacy to let people understand the phenomenon instead of resorting to barbaric acts of dehumanising those perceived of possessing such "powers".

He appealed to NGOs involved in gender and human rights issues to network their activities to enable them carry out effective public education on the issue of witchcraft to help prevent the sufferings and ill treatment meted out to women due to ignorance. He said as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of water borne diseases, the church was constructing water tanks for harvesting rainwater in communities that have no potable water to help minimize the incidence of guinea worm.

Mr Peter Wuni East Mamprusi, District Chief Executive, commended the Church for alleviating the plight of the women and also undertaking other projects and helping to build the human resource of the people in the district.

Rev. Naami on behalf of the Northern Presbytery of the Church presented a "Deer" Toyota Pick-Up valued at 20,000 dollars to the "Gamabaga-Go Home Project" to help facilitate its work in the communities.

The Church also presented a quantity of soap and used clothing to the inmates of the camp.