Witch Camp victims protest Akufo-Addo's decision not to assent anti-witchcraft bill

A group of accused witches have expressed their displeasure with the decision by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to approve the anti-witchcraft bill which was passed by the Parliament of Ghana into a law.

The accused witches protested against Akufo-Addo’s refusal to assent the bill at one of the so-called witch camps on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

Some of the witch camp victims could be seen wielding placards with messages of disappointment over the president’s decision.

“Mr President assenting to the anti-witchcraft bill should be a priority to protect women,” one of the placards the women were holding reads.

“Stop the tragedy: End witchcraft accusations! Human rights for all. Justice, not superstition!” another placard reads.

A placard held by an old woman also reads, “Government action needed: Protest lives, stop witchcraft accusations! Enforce justice, safeguard human rights”.

The Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, who shared pictures of the protest on X on Tuesday, said that Akufo-Addo’s refusal to assent the anti-witchcraft bill was undemocratic.

“The President’s action is an infringement on our democracy and a violation of the rights of these vulnerable women,” he wrote on X.

Background:

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo refrained from assenting to three crucial bills, namely the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023, the Wildlife Resources Management Bill 2023, and the Armed Forces Amendment Bill 2023, that are currently before him, citinewsroom.com reports.

On November 27, 2023, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, criticized the president for not communicating his position on the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023, which aims to criminalize attacks on alleged witches.

In response, the presidency, in a communication, refuted having received the bill, along with two others, until November 27, 2023.

The Presidency also dismissed suggestions that they had decided not to assent to the bills.

However, in a letter addressed to Parliament on Monday, December 4, President Akufo-Addo informed the House of his inability to assent to the three bills until associated constitutional matters are resolved.

Speaker Alban Bagbin read the president's letter to members of the House, stating, "In the communication from His Excellency dated 27th November 2023, he signifies pursuant to Article 106, clause 7 that he is unable to assent to the Criminal Offences Number 2 Bill 2023 because, upon review of the bill, he noted some constitutional matters relating to its passage."

The Speaker further conveyed that President Akufo-Addo was yet to specify the exact constitutional matters that require resolution before he can assent to the three bills.

View the post plus pictures from the protest below:

Earlier today, victims in Witch Camps expressed their discontent over the President's refusal to assent to the Anti-Witchcraft Bill. The President’s action is an infringement on our democracy and a violation of the rights of these vulnerable women. pic.twitter.com/hoUgMMVZpA

— Francis-Xavier Sosu (@fx_sosu) December 5, 2023