Members of the albino community in Ghana have expressed alarm that they are under threat from harvesters of their parts for ritual purposes.
The Executive Secretary of the Persons With Albinos Association, Newton Katseko on Friday presented a petition to the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate a research work done by the association which reveals that some albinos were being used for ritual sacrifices to lesser gods in some communities in Ghana.
Report by the Ghanaian Times on Saturday quoted Mr. Katseko as saying that their research shown that albinos were under threat in communities such as Abease near Atebubu in the Bono Region, Akwamufie, Burukwa and Asougyeman all in the Eastern Region where they are used for rituals.
According to him, their research was conducted between April and May this year. The association presented the petition to the Commission on Friday during the celebration of the World Albino Day in Accra.
Dr Isaac Annan, Director of CHRAJ who received the petition pledged the Commission’s commitment to investigation the issue to ensure that albinos lived a life of dignity as enshrine in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
Commenting on the issues, Joseph Mensah, a social scientist bemoaned the current development of violence and banishment of albinos in Ghana and urged the society to fight against the emerging trend.
He noted that some alien cultures such as kidnapping and banishing of albinos were creeping into Ghanaian society as a result of “get rich quick attitude of the youth”.
DAP/as/APA