Criminalising 'Trokosi' is not enough – Mumuni 

Accra (Greater Accra) 7 Feb. 2000

Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, said on Friday that it is not enough to prohibit the practice of 'Trokosi' (Vestal Virgins) by legislation.

Equally important is education to sensitise the practitioners to win their co-operation towards the eradication of the system, Mr Mumuni told a questioner.

He noted that Trokosi is an age-long customary practice, in which girls are offered to shrines to atone for the wrong doings of their ancestors.

The Minister said the objective of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, which was enacted in June, 1998, is to prohibit the Trokosi system, whose practice is a violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims.

However, since the practice is basically an attitudinal problem, it also requires the re-orientation of the people to win their support in the effort to rid the society of the system.

Alhaji Mumuni said a survey indicated that there are an estimated 1,000 Trokosis in the Dangme area of the Greater Accra Region, North Tongu, South Tongu and southern parts of the Volta Region.

He told another questioner that the Ministry has a programme to integrate the vulnerable groups into the society but it has no specific programme for the Trokosis.

He said the Ministry has not developed any programme precisely for the rehabilitation of such girl's because "it is its policy not to duplicate the efforts of non-governmental organisations with proven competence in any given field of endeavour".

Alhaji Mumuni told the House, that International Needs and Needs International, both non-governmental organisations, drew the Ministry's attention to the Trokosis and their plight at the shrines in 1993.

Soon after, he said, the Deputy Minister responsible for Social Welfare and a technical staff, visited some of the shrines, where they found that the two NGOs had already established a comprehensive programme to secure the release and rehabilitation of the 'virgins'.

"Be it as it may, my Ministry has, through the Department of Social Welfare, been actively collaborating with the NGOs to ensure effective co-ordination in the rehabilitation of these slaves of the deity", he said.

GRi../