Special Advisor to President Akufo-Addo on issues of gender, Angela Asante Essah has insisted that Ghana has grown to have a reputation and is actually well regarded globally for the respect of human rights.
According to her, the status of Ghana as a human right and gender equality campaigner means the Kafaba incident, involving the murder of a 90-year-old woman accused of witchcraft, should have never happened.
“The matter is not something which should have happened in Ghana at this age and time. As a country, we are looking at developing the area of women and children so we have to put an end to all human rights abuses.”
“I support the president on being against the killing and his call for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators. It shouldn’t happen here and we are looking forward to arresting all those involved. I am following the issue keenly and such incidents must end.”
She made this assertion on Happy 98.9 FM during an interview with Samuel Eshun, host of the Happy Morning Show.
Madam Asante Essah explained that human rights violations such as the murder of Madam Akua Denteh happened mainly because of our social orientation and culture.
“What happens at the ‘Witch Camps’ and the labelling of innocents as witches is a cultural issue and it extends to other areas in the cities. Some ‘men of God’ even stomp on the bellies of pregnant women.”
She lamented how sad it was for mob action to be witnessed in the capital, Accra. “Even in Accra, when someone commits a crime or robbery, the person is surrounded and beaten to death instead of the people leaving the police to handle such cases.”
The gender advocate advised Ghanaians to obey the law. “No Ghanaian has the right to do whatever they want, you can’t be the judge, jury and executioner.”
She called on all advocacy groups and institutions to support the government to intensify education against the disregard for human rights in the country. “We need education to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians against the violation of human rights. At the same time, we need to develop laws and policies and also implement them if we want all such cases to cease.”
By: Joel Sanco
