Trokosi Practice still persists

From William Yaw Owusu, Frankaadua.

Tuesday, 16 May 2006
Trokosi, the practice where children, mostly girls, are sent to serve in shrines to atone for crimes committed by their relations, persists.

This is in spite of efforts by government, religious bodies and other non-governmental organizations to discourage shrine custodians from the practice.

A ceremony was held here on Saturday, to mark the completion of training of 21 Trokosis who were liberated by the Ghana Baptist Convention.

They underwent three years training in various vocational skills in dressmaking, hair designing, kente weaving among other vocations free of charge.

Aged between 18 and 24, they included two boys.

Each of the beneficiaries received a sewing machine, hair dressing kits, equipment for kente weaving and a capital of ¢500,000.

Reverend Kojo Amoo, Secretary General of the Ghana Baptist Convention, said the church will establish more early childhood development centres and primary schools in areas where the practice abound so that through education people will get to know about their rights.

Other interventions such as the provision of health care, and empowering the people go into business are also being pursued.

Jervis Djokoto, Director of the Baptist Relief and Development Agency, a subsidiary of the Ghana Baptist Convention said the agency spends about 200 dollars on the vocational centre monthly and is still persuading shrine custodians to release more young adults for training.

Eddie Forson, the centre’s manager, said since 1998, the Baptist Convention has trained more than 70 ex-Trokosi slaves and currently has above 69 undergoing training.

He said the centre will soon be opened to the public, admit junior secondary school leavers and introduce additional courses such as agriculture, home management, secretarial and computer training.

Mrs.Jane Kwapong, Eastern regional Co-ordinator at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, said the time had come for the police administration to open Domestic Violence and Victims Support Units in all districts to encourage more people to report issues of domestic violence.

The practice of Trokosi dates back centuries when people mostly minors were sent to shrines to atone for the sins of their elderly relations.

People suspected of witchcraft were also sent there to be exorcised.

The constitution and the criminal code both declare all forms of servitude illegal and in 1998 government moved a step further by passing a law that mandates a three-year sentence for those found guilty of enslaving children but no one has yet been prosecuted under the law.