President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo has been urged by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to swiftly address and sign the Anti-Witchcraft Bill, notwithstanding his reservations.
The Criminal Offenses (Amendment) Bill, 2023, often known as the Anti-Witchcraft Bill, is a noteworthy piece of legislation that was approved by Ghana’s Parliament. The purpose of the legislation is to make the practice of witch doctoring or witch finding illegal by amending the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Acts 29). Declaring, accusing, naming, or labeling someone else as a witch is likewise prohibited.
Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and other NDC MPs introduced this Private Member’s Bill. The July 28, 2023, ratification of the bill by Parliament is considered a crucial step in addressing the dangers of allegations of witchcraft.
Its goals are to protect victims and make it illegal to accuse, declare, name, or mark someone as a witch.
President Akufo-Addo decided not to sign the measure because he was worried about possible financial effects on the nation’s consolidated treasury.
However, CHRAJ noted that the nation’s reputation has been damaged by the culture of witchcraft allegations and the associated witch camps in an advisory opinion on the law that was sent to the President on July 1, 2024.
“It has become an albatross around the neck of the country for decades. Its dire consequences on the rights of Ghanaian women are beyond debate. It also undermines national efforts towards the realization of the SDGs particularly Goal 5 on gender equality,” it added.
In a time when constitutional democracy is centered on defending basic freedoms and human rights, CHRAJ emphasized that the state must prioritize the rights of elderly women accused of witchcraft, one of society’s most vulnerable groups, and take immediate action to safeguard their dignity and human rights.
To further improve the protection of this vulnerable group and the consolidation of Ghana’s human rights record, the commission therefore urged President Akufo-Addo to “take urgent steps including legislative steps that will resolve any constitutional concerns raised by H.E. the President in order to assent to the Criminal Offenses Amendment Bill 2023 (Anti-Witchcraft Bill).”
