General News of Wednesday, 15 October 1997

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Presiding Member Asks Ministry To Improve Welfare Of Witches Home

Gambaga (Northern Region), 14 Oct. Mr. Fuzzy N Kombat, Presiding Member of the East Mamprusi District Assembly, has appealed to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to promote the welfare of inmates of the witches home at Gambaga. It can do this by improving upon their accommodation, feeding and clothing. According to Mr. Kombat this will be better than finding ways of integrating them into their homes and villages since they already wear the tag of being "evil spirits and witches". Speaking at the ordinary session of the assembly at Gambaga, Mr. Kombat said witches' homes need a deeper reflection adding that ''we should not lose sight of the deep traditional roles and values''. He appealed to the Gamba-Rana, Yahaya Wuni, chief of Gambaga and the custodian of the home to team up with the district assembly, NGO's and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice to improve upon living conditions in the home. The Presiding member called on the government to establish a day technical teacher training college in the district. Mr. Kombat appealed to parent-teacher associations, school management committees, the churches and traditional rulers for practical measures to encourage young girls to attend school.