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Management of Gambaga Witches camps calls for support to refurbish huts

The Management of the Gambaga Witches’ camp is appealing for support to rehabilitate the dwelling places of the inmates as the rainy season sets in.

Date Created : 6/7/2023 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Fatima Anafu-Astanga/Ghanadistricts.com

In 2021, a philanthropist built a four-room block for some of the inmates, but management of the Camp could not raise more funds to rehabilitate or build new residences for the more than 80 women.

The inmates live in a segregated community in the Gambaga Township of the North-East region.

The camp, which was established about a century ago, was to accommodate alleged witches banished from their various families and communities who sought refuge at the residence of Gamba-Rana, the paramount Chief of Gambaga.

Currently, Naa Yahaya Wuni, the Gamba-Rana, is the spiritual overseer of the camp where 93 women and two men are housed.

Mr. Samson Laar, the Assistant manager of the camp, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, said this year all the huts of the inmates could not be rehabilitated due to inadequate funds.

He said management had reroofed some of the huts, adding that “We are trying to find grass to roof a number of the huts so that when we are able to find some more funds, we can do same for the other huts.”

He reiterated the call for benevolent groups, societies and individuals to support the camp.

The camp, built with mud and thatched roof, is expected to be rehabilitated before every rainy season, however due to unavailability of funds, some of the huts had not been worked on for some years and inmates may have to endure the inconvenience of water dripping into their huts.

The six northern regions are characterized by annual strong winds, heavy rains and floods, therefore, to withstand the harsh climatic conditions, the thatched houses are rehabilitated yearly to survive the harsh weather.

Meanwhile, the old women who fend for themselves through selling fuel wood, said walking long distances to fetch grass for the roofing of their rooms was a difficult task, and reiterated their call for assistance.

The impact of the climate, especially heavy rainfall and floods affect the Northern regions causing lots of displacement and loss of property and economic livelihoods across communities.