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NLA donates to NGO supporting mentally challenged
His love for the mentally challenged in society is unmatched as he has dedicated his personal time and resources to the welfare of the neglected in society.
Mr Eliasu Baba, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bahass Foundation in the Upper West Region is committed to ensuring that persons with mental health conditions are well catered for.
So contrary to usual practice where some people distance themselves from such persons in society on the streets, Mr Baba gathers these persons once every month and with the help of his staff, give them a warm bath, shave their hair and dress them up for homemade meals.
Even though he has no permanent place to keep them, he is able to provide their immediate needs and get their clothes changed to ensure that they are kept warm on the street and also make the beneficiaries feel loved.
It is, therefore, welcoming when the National Lottery Authority (NLA) donated assorted commodities valued at GH¢15,000 to the Foundation to hep support its activities in the region.
The donation which included bags of rice, oil, maize, bales of second hand clothing and detergent was meant to be distributed to persons with mental health conditions at Jirapa, Lawra, Nandom and the Wa Municipality of the upper West Region.
The Deputy Coordinator of the NLA’s ‘Good Causes Foundation’, Madam Ama Frimpong said the donation at Wa was to cushion the Bahass Foundation to provide quality care and support to the target beneficiaries in the region.
She said NLA had the mission of undertaking corporate social responsibilities as well as sustaining the gains in order to create shared values of social cohesion and national development.
She said persons with mental health conditions deserved love in order to feel good about themselves stressing that the Foundation would continue to identify and help vulnerable members in society.
She commended the Bahass Foundation for the great job they were doing and encouraged them to continue to work harder to ensure the wellbeing of persons with mental health.
Mr Baba who received the items thanked the NLA for the gesture and assured them that the items would be fairly distributed to the target group as the foundation was focused on putting smiles on the faces of persons with mental health conditions on the street.
He called on other well-meaning institutions and organisations to come to the aid of persons with mental health conditions and other vulnerable groups in the region and help provide a comfortable washroom for them.
From Rafia Abdul Razak, Wa
The Ghana Tourism Development Company, GTDC, under the leadership of Prof.Kobby Mensah has launched GTDC Campus Tourism Office at the University of Ghana.
The initiative aims to promote educational and domestic tourism by providing structured campus tour experiences showcasing key heritage sites, including the Archaeology Museum and the School of Performing Arts.
It will also offer students their first travel experience across the continent and inculcate in them love to visit Ghana’s heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering at the launch yesterday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described tourism as a vehicle for education and heritage preservation, stressing that the sector must inspire citizens to value and protect national culture for future generations.
The minister highlighted tourism’s connection to disciplines such as history, the arts, economics and environmental science.
The minister further noted that the private sector is the engine of tourism economy, adding that the engines require fuel, which is talents.” by investing in these young people today, you are securing the quality, the innovation and competitiveness of our own industry for tomorrow.
She added that the establishment of the office represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of the country.
The GTDC boss, Prof.Kobby Mensah, said,”at GTDC, we believe that if our tourism has to be sustainable, we have to promote domestic tourism and a very big part of it is getting students to appreciate tourism and helping them to organise tours.”
He added that the University of Ghana itself is a huge heritage site which must be explored.
Prof.Kobby Mensah noted that the initiative, which is one of many to be established across the country, is a joint partnership between GTDC and University of Ghana.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the University is a custodian of heritage which goes beyond the structures and welcomed the establishment of the first Campus Tourism Office.
She was optimistic that the office would be put to good use to achieve the intended purpose.
The launch brought together Stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to nurturing future tourism and hospitality professionals.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana has officially accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 22 to May 2, 2026.
The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, accompanied by the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, H.E. David Kabré.
Receiving the delegation, Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy and strengthening historic ties between the two nations.
She noted that the festival will create opportunities for young creatives, expand exhibition platforms and promote commercial exchange within the creative sector.
The event will feature cultural performances, a community village and gastronomy fair, an arts market, literary engagements, and a craft and trade fair.
Ghana’s participation is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between John Dramani Mahama and Ibrahim Traoré, while fostering collaboration within the creative ecosystems of both countries.
