On Sunday, the Techiman Youth Association, a group based in the Techiman Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region, staged a peaceful protest against the activities of spiritualists, mallams, and money doublers. The demonstration, which took place on the main streets of Techiman, was aimed at condemning these individuals for allegedly exploiting naive residents, defrauding them of their money and investments.
Clad in red and black attire, the protesters chanted slogans, wore red bands, and carried placards with messages such as “Drive All Fake Mallams Out,” “We Need Investors in Techiman,” “Techiman People Need a Peaceful Life,” and “Enough of the Ritual Killings, Save Us Mr. President.” Other placards read “Nananom and Security Save Us Now.”
Mr. Kwadwo Adjei, Chairman of the Association, spoke to Citi News, accusing the mallams, fake spiritualists, and internet fraudsters of using deceptive methods to amass wealth from innocent people in the area. He claimed that after failing to fulfill their promises, they resort to violence, even assaulting the same residents they had defrauded.
“These mallams have flooded Techiman, tricking the public. They collect money, perform their rituals, and after failing, they beat the victims. They often use concoctions on people’s bodies, warning them not to scratch, knowing the itch that follows. If someone tries to get their money back, their hired thugs beat them up. These thugs have connections to local chiefs, and when they arrive, they intimidate everyone, knowing they can share the spoils with the chiefs,” he lamented.
The demonstration, Adjei explained, was intended to raise awareness among local chiefs about the detrimental impact of these activities. He stressed that Techiman, being a diverse town, needed to attract more investors to create job opportunities for the youth and promote sustainable development.
Adjei emphasized that while the Association did not oppose religious practices, the illegal and exploitative actions of these individuals needed to be addressed. He also criticized the practice of money doubling, calling it not only illegal but also a violation of the country’s laws.
“I wonder why state institutions aren’t taking action to protect the public from these fraudsters,” he said, urging the local authorities and the security services to strengthen their efforts to safeguard the investments of law-abiding citizens.
In a related interview, Iddrisu Awudu, the Brong Ahafo Regional Regulatory Officer of the Traditional Medicine Practitioners Council (TMPC) at the Ministry of Health, rejected claims from some mallams that their operations were officially licensed. He clarified that while herbal practitioners are licensed to produce medicine for healing purposes, no one is authorized to practice money doubling.
“There is no license for anyone to double money. Anyone claiming otherwise is misrepresenting the facts,” Awudu said. He urged the public to remain cautious and report any such fraudulent activities to the appropriate authorities for further action.
