Leli Dabari (N/R), Dec. 4, GNA – Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Running-mate to the 2020 Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress, has donated assorted items to some vulnerable groups in the Northern Region.
The donation, which includes quantities of food items, detergents, diapers, soap, toiletries and other valuables, is to support and uplift the spirits of group members.
The beneficiaries included the alleged witches at the Leli Dabari Alleged Witches’ Camp in the Gushiegu Municipality, children on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and some widows in the Tamale Metropolis.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang undertook the exercise as part of a two-day visit to the region, which ended on Thursday.
At Leli Dabari, Professor Opoku-Agyemang was unhappy about the dehumanising conditions under which the inmates, especially women lived, and appealed to the government, civil society and other stakeholders to prioritise the need to close down all alleged witches’ camps in the country to ensure dignity and respect for womanhood.
She said: “As a woman, I feel their pain and worry. Government and other stakeholders must come to the aid of these women. Together, let us disband these camps and reintegrate them back into their families. They deserve better.”
There were about 150 inmates at the alleged witches’ camp at Leli Dabari.
At the Children’s Ward of the TTH, Professor Opoku-Agyemang encouraged parents to stay strong, saying “These are difficult times, but we all need to be hopeful and be around our loved ones because they need us.”
She expressed appreciation to the health workers for the great work that they were doing to keep the population healthy.
Mr Dalabra Barnabas, Caretaker of the alleged witches’ camp at Leli Dabari, thanked Professor Opoku-Agyemang for extending support to the inmates.
He said the gesture was timely as inmates faced a lot of challenges, including food needs.
Mr Barnabas appealed to the government and other stakeholders to accord the inmates the needed protection and permanently reintegrate them into society.
Madam Evelyn-Eda Danikuu, Director of Nursing Services at TTH, who took Professor Opoku-Agyemang around the Children’s Ward, received the donated items.
Madam Danikuu said the items would help the parents and the hospital a lot, adding, “they are going to help cut down on our bills for buying detergents for cleaning.”
Meanwhile, Professor Opoku-Agyemang used the opportunity to pay courtesy calls on some traditional rulers in the region, including the Paramount Chief of Gushiegu Traditional Area and the Chief of Tampion.
GNA