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Betrayed by their skin: The sad story of albinos in Ghana
In many Ghanaian communities, persons with albinism often face a multitude of challenges that originate from myths, discrimination, misconceptions, and societal prejudices.
In spite of many efforts and awareness to ensure that individuals with albinism are not discriminated against, albinos in many parts of the country are still confronted with many hurdles that hinder their social integration as well as their access to essential resources.
Albinism is a unique genetic condition characterised by a lack of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, which subjects affected persons to heightened vulnerability due to their appearance. 
This condition often leads to stigmatisation and marginalisation within many communities, particularly in the rural areas.
Sadly, due to the heightened superstitious beliefs prevalent in many Ghanaian communities, many people tend to associate albinism with unfounded myths and misconceptions, including curses, hence further isolating these individuals.
One of the most pressing challenges faced by albinos in Ghana is their increased risk of getting skin cancer due to the absence of melanin, making sun protection a critical necessity.
However, access to protective measures such as sun creams and protective clothing remains limited, exacerbating their health risks.
Education also becomes a battleground for many persons with albinism in Ghana.
This is because prejudices and social biases often result in their exclusion from educational opportunities, denying them the chance to reach their full potential.
Similarly, bullying and ridicule in schools perpetuate feelings of isolation and low self-esteem among these individuals, impacting their academic progress and mental well-being.
Employment opportunities for Ghanaians with albinism are constrained by biases and misconceptions about their capabilities. This type of discrimination against albinos in workplaces impact their morale negatively, hence limiting their economic empowerment and social inclusion.
It must be mentioned that despite commendable strides made towards advocating for the rights and welfare of people with albinism in Ghana by the government and civil society organisations, including advocacy groups, many albinos in Ghana still live in fear in some communities.
Even though Article 17(2) of the 1992 Constitution states that “a person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or economic status” some albinos have claimed that they had been prevented from either entering or living in some communities in Ghana.
Adam Abdul-Wahab, President of the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism (GAPA), is one of the albinos who has confirmed this allegation.
GAPA is an advocacy group made up of persons living with albinism.
According to him, he had received complaints from many of his members from different parts of the country on the issue—being denied access to some communities.
He mentioned that some parts of the Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions.
Additionally, he mentioned Akwamufie in the Eastern region as some of the areas albinos find unsafe to live.
For Abdul-Wahab, albinos are not permitted to live in these mentioned areas, citing an instance in which he, together with some members of their association, after receiving complaints from their members in Akwamufie on the same issue went to follow up on the incident but were also denied entry into the community.
According to him, children born albinos at Akwamufie are banished at birth from the community, explaining that such children are usually considered cursed to the community.
He said such myths and beliefs put the lives of persons with albinism in such communities at constant risk, leaving them in endless fear.
This, Abdul-Wahab said, was due to the lack of understanding as well as deeply rooted superstitions and cultural beliefs surrounding the condition.
Akwamufie incident
The Apenkwahene of the Akwamu Traditional Area in the Asougyaman District, Nana Ansah Brempong V in an interview, debunked the allegations that people with albinism are not permitted to live or enter the communities in the area.
He said the claims by the GAPA that albinos feel unsafe to enter or live in the Akwamufie area cannot be true as many albinos still live safely in the area.
He said Akwamufie is a culturally diverse area that does not discriminate against people based on their skin colour or race, including albinos.
Nana Ansah Brempong V has, therefore, challenged the GAPA to call out the chief who resisted them from entering the traditional area, adding that the Akwamus were loving and law abiding citizens of the country.
Buttressing his point that the Akwamufie is not a death zone for people with albinism, he said, “I had a school mate at Akwamuman Secondary School named Sogli who was an albino. No one discriminated against him.
He even had many school children always coming around him because he had a playful nature.”
Nana Ansah Brempong, however, pledged to investigate the matter, casting doubt over the authenticity of such claims in the Asuogyaman district of the Eastern Region.
The Regent of Ekumfi Bogyano in the Central region as well as the Ebusuapayin of Amoana family in the same community all said the area had no custom that bars people living with albinism to live in the community.
“We have many albinos living in many communities in Ekumfi. It is not their fault to be born albinos so why should we make life uncomfortable for them to live,” Opanyin Kobena Sam, a Unit Committee Member explained.
Cultural misconception
For the President of the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism, some people still hold on to misconceptions that people with albinism possess some magical or supernatural powers, hence making them (albinos) a target for ritualists.
“In some cultures, people with albinism are believed to possess magical or supernatural powers, which can lead to harmful actions like kidnapping, mutilation, or even murder for the purpose of using their body parts in rituals,” he explained.
This brutal practice, known as “albino hunting,” Abdul-Wahab noted, is driven by a range of factors, including ignorance, myths, and deeply ingrained cultural beliefs.”
He said a study his outfit—GAPA, conducted on albino hunting in 2019 confirmed the incident, pointing out that the incidents normally occur in some communities in Eastern and Bono Regions.
“There are some studies conducted by the GAPA in 2019 which actually ascertained the fact that in some communities in the Eastern Region of Ghana and some communities in the Bono East Region, this practice is going on, where Persons with Albinism are banished from the community,” Abdul-Wahab stated.
Citing an incident, the GAPA President, said there was a time that one of their members was killed at Amanase-Boketey near Suhum in the Eastern Region allegedly for ritual purposes by a pastor, adding that the suspected killer was later arrested and prosecuted after constant perseverance.
He said the association had petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on this issue after their study confirmed the incident.
He, however, expressed the concern that CHRAJ had been slow on the case, calling them to conduct an independent investigation into the issue.
“It (the report) was submitted in 2019 up to now, 2023, we have not heard anything positive from CHRAJ and the only response they give us when we follow up is that they are working on it. I don’t know how long they will work on it but they admitted that whatever studies we did was true and will soon launch a report to that effect,” Abdul-Wahab bemoaned the delay.
Skin Cancer
He said the association continues to promote the rights of persons with albinism in Ghana by educating the public on the various misconceptions against albinos.
Similarly, he noted, GAPA had been creating awareness about the challenges faced by its members.
He noted that since the formation of the association in 2003, it has registered about 2,741 as members.
Abdul-Wahab, therefore, commended “Engage Now Africa”, an NGO for its continued support towards GAPA and its members.
He said Engage Now Africa supports GAPA members with sun creams to avoid developing black spots each time they get exposed to the sun and also with wide-brimmed hats.
He noted that treatment for skin cancer for people living with albinism was expensive, hence appealing to the government to make provision for sun creams and also add skin cancer treatment for albinos to the National Health Insurance scheme.
Abdul-Wahab similarly appealed to other NGOs and philanthropists to come to the aid of people living with albinism, particularly with sun creams and sun glasses.
Skin care/exclusion
Kwame Andrews Daklo, a social worker who focuses on albino advocacy with Engage Now Africa, expressed the opinion that people in Ghana with albinism have been largely isolated from other members of society, hence making it difficult for them to get access to resource to help them to cope with the sun.
According to him, many people, including the government did not see albinism as a disability, a situation he observed, had contributed to the worsening plights of albinos in the country.
He has, therefore, called on the government to include skin cancer treatment and sun creams to the NHIS package for persons living with albinism.
For her part, Dr Angela Ampofo, a dermatologist at Anton Memorial Hospital pointed out that access to skin products, sun creams and dermatologists remained a big challenge for many albinos in the country.
She said the sun increases the chances of albinos developing skin cancers, admonishing them not to walk under the sun without sun creams or protective clothing.
Way forward
The road to inclusivity and equal opportunities for people with albinism in Ghana remains a work in progress.
A concerted effort from the governmental and non-governmental bodies is therefore needed to break down these barriers as well as to eradicate stigma, and create a more inclusive society where individuals with albinism can thrive without prejudice or discrimination.
The reason is that their potential and contributions to Ghana’s rich societal fabric deserve recognition and support as the nation progresses towards true equality and inclusivity for all its citizens.
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
