We surely did not need the National Secretariat of the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit (DOVSU) to tell us that, there have been increase in reckless abuse of people in Ghana, done in the name of Religion—because we are all witness to the healing ways of charlatans like Bishop Obinim who can freely step on the stomach of a pregnant woman.

At a recent workshop in Accra, administrator at the National Secretariat of DOVVSU, ASP Lydia Osei Agyemang noted that some churches and prayer camps in the country perpetuated sexual and physical abuse against congregants especially women and children under the guise of religious healing and deliverance.

According to her, some spiritual leaders harassed, humiliated and inflicted physical pain on congregants under the pretext of exorcising them. She said the practice had existed for several years however had been on the increase in recent times with most of them being broadcasted on TV.

And the question is; what are we going to do about it as a nation because when Jerrry John Rawlings talked about it, he was met with hostility by some of these fraudulent people calling themselves all manner of high names.

Chastising the media for allowing such broadcast, ASP Osei Agyemang said, “It is becoming rampant; from morning to evening you see them on TV trying to cast out demons. They hit them on the head, pour oil into their noses and mouths, hit their ASP Osei Agyemang said chests and so on. All these constitute human right violations.”