Witchcraft causing high school dropouts in Nadowli

The belief in witchcraft in the Nadwoli District of the Upper West Region has accounted for a high rate of school drop-outs in the area, Mr Siddique Ubeidu, Nadowli District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has said.

He said studies carried out in the district have revealed that most children who are often accused of being witches and wizards drop-out from schools to avoid perpetual mockery and other acts of embarrassment.

Mr Ubeidu said this in Kaleo in the Nadowli District on when he talked on the role of traditional authorities towards the promotion of education of the girl-child in a day's durbar organised by CHRAJ to sensitise parents.

World Vision International sponsored the programme that brought together chiefs, elders, teachers and students from first and second cycle institutions. He said the belief in witchcraft in the Nadowli District was so high that about 90 per cent of people who asked questions on the human rights and responsibilities in a lecture concentrated on witchcraft and its beliefs in the area.

Mr. Ubeidu called on other human rights organisations in the country to step up education programmes on girls' education and educate people against some of the obnoxious practices that impede development in society.

He called on traditional authorities to either modify or abolish certain cultural practices that are inimical to the development of girls. The District Director also called for the establishment of special education endowment fund for girls as an incentive for them to study hard.

Rev Sister Juliette Kpimebome, Nadowli District Girl Child Officer, said cultural practices such as early marriages and elopement of girls have impacted negatively on their education. She therefore called on CHRAJ and the District Assembly to enact bye-laws that would restrain people from some of these practices.

Mr Elias Yibile Bruttoh, Senior Legal Officer of CHRAJ, said the removal of cultural practices that retard the progress of women should be given a multi sector approach to become workable.