The NGOs, Stepping Stone Nigeria (SSN) and the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) have been battling the stigmatisation of children as witches in the delta region, especially in Akwa Ibom state, where such cases are rampant. They have recently fallen out with the state government which has levelled allegations of fraud against them.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Programmes Director of SSN, Gary Foxtrot, said “I want to make it very clear that we refute these allegations in the strongest possible terms. As a registered charity in England and the Wales, SSN has to uphold the highest possible standards in transparency and accountability.”
He said being registered with the Charity Commission in England means they have to make their accounts public and that such accounts are available online (on its website and that of the Charity Commission) for anyone to scrutinize as it has nothing to hide.
“Unfortunately, it appears Governor Godswill Akpabio has been given misleading information on the issue by those with a commercial interest in seeking to discredit our work,” he said.
He lauded the efforts of the governor to tackle the menace in the state and called for a meeting with the governor to address the issue.
On his part, President of the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN), Mr. Sam Itauma, refuted the claims that the child witch issue has been blown out of proportion, saying that it is a fact that thousands of children are being victimized, tortured and killed.
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