MP for Madina Constituency, Francis Xavier Sosu, says the passage of the bill that criminalizes the declaration, accusation, naming, or labelling of another person as a witch will result in the disbandment of witches camps across the country.

Mr. Sosu informed the media that the new law explicitly makes these camps illegal, rendering them unable to continue their operation.

“By the passing of this law, it means that all witch camps stand proscribed. The law also requires that within a period the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection will take steps to reintegrate people who are being held in various camps,” he stated.

“The reintegration may take various forms because when we visited the various camps there were some of the camps that is essentially like a home for some of them. So their reintegration may probably be that providing support for them where they are. Others may require that they may go back to their homes,” the Madina MP added.

Mr. Sosu expressed his firm belief that, in any approach taken, the Gender Ministry and the Social Protection unit will diligently carry out their mandate to ensure the protection and secure reintegration of individuals branded as witches back into society.

On Thursday, Parliament approved a law that criminalizes the act of declaring, accusing, naming, or labelling another person as a witch in Ghana. The amendment also prohibits the practice of witch doctors or witchfinders.

As a co-sponsor of the bill, Francis Xavier Sosu, the MP for Madina, expressed his enthusiasm, stating that this legislative passage is excellent news for all.

“The reason is that for all the 539 persons who are locked up in witch camps currently, they are looking forward to us taking some decisive steps to deal with this situation. This problem has lived with us for over 100 years to the extent that this 8th Parliament has found it needful to pass this law into law.”

“For me, it is definitely going to bring about a very serious mind shift. It is going to correct a lot of the ills in our society and I am confident that we are just building a better society for ourselves.”

In 2021, three Members of Parliament introduced the Private Members’ Bill to amend the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) to prohibit the practice by any person as a witch doctor or witchfinder.

The sponsors are MPs for Madina, Pusiga and Wa East constituencies, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba and Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw respectively.