Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights has engaged leaders from the Office of the National Chief Imam and the Christian Council of Ghana to strengthen efforts to end witchcraft accusations and protect vulnerable people from related abuses.
The two-day engagement, announced on Thursday, October 22, forms part of efforts to address violence, discrimination and other human rights violations suffered by people accused of witchcraft.
In a statement, the Committee stressed the influence religious leaders wield within communities and the role they can play in either encouraging or preventing such accusations.
“The Committee believes Religious Leaders are critical Stakeholders whose actions and/or inactions play a critical role and have the ability to either enhance or mitigate the phenomenon of witchcraft accusations,” the statement said.
The Committee warned that accusations can have severe consequences for victims, particularly older people and other vulnerable groups, sometimes resulting in exclusion from their communities, violence and death.
Following the engagement, representatives of the National Chief Imam’s office and the Christian Council pledged to use their platforms to raise public awareness and discourage the stigmatisation and persecution of accused persons.
They also committed to supporting legislative measures to address the abuses, promoting peaceful and rights-respecting responses to allegations, and strengthening cooperation among religious leaders, traditional authorities, state institutions and civil society organisations.
The Committee said the Social Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1148), and Ghana’s efforts towards ratifying the African Charter protocol on the rights of older persons offered opportunities to strengthen protections for vulnerable citizens.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to securing passage of the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to address witchcraft accusations and related abuses.
The statement, signed by Committee Chairman and Kumawu MP Ernest Yaw Anim, acknowledged Songtaba Ghana for its partnership in the initiative.
