Amnesty International's Country Director, Genevieve Partington has stated that Ghana's passage of a law criminalising the declaration, accusation, naming, or labelling of another person as a witch is a step in the right direction.

The human rights advocate said, “the passage of the witchcraft bill is an amazing win for human rights and Ghana.”

“I believe that this is a way forward for Ghana as the bill focuses on criminalising human rights abuses towards persons accused of witchcraft. Now offenders can be punished and it is not just any offender – it can mean that you are directly or indirectly facilitating a witchcraft accusation that leads to human rights violation. So this is very good,” she stressed.

She commended Parliament for ensuring the witchcraft bill is passed.

Parliament on Thursday, July 27 passed a law criminalising the declaration, accusation, naming or labelling of another person as a witch in Ghana.

Read also: Parliament passes law to criminalise accusations of witchcraft, practice of witchfinders and witch doctors

The approved amendment also prohibits any person from practicing as a witch doctor or witch finder.

According to her, the major highlight of the bill is the compensation and counselling of victims of witchcraft.

She stated that, per the bill, the victim accused of witchcraft would be compensated financially by the perpetrator or made to pay legal fees for court and counselling.

In a related development, The MP for Madina Constituency, Francis Xavier Sosu has said that witch camps across the country will be disbanded.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Kwaku Asante, Mr Sosu stated that the new law ensures that witch camps are illegal, and thus can no longer be in 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 stated that whatever way it may take, he believes that the Gender Ministry and the Social Protection unit will take on their mandate and ensure that people branded witches are not only protected but also securely reintegrated into society.

Background to the passage of the witchcraft bill

In 2020, 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh was lynched in the Savanah region after she was accused of being a witch.

In a video sighted by Myjoyonline.com, the deceased was slapped, kicked and caned at Kafaba near Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, because she was accused of being a witch.

Read more: 90-year-old woman lynched after traditional priest accused her of witchcraft

Six people were later arrested, including the Kafaba Chief, Zackaria Yahaya for their roles in the gruesome killing.

Many Ghanaians including President Akufo-Addo condemned the killing but few such incidents have occurred since then, prompting the passage of this bill.

Read more: Daughter of 63-year-old accused of witchcraft seeks justice

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.