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Father Campbell receives honourary doctorate for humanitarian support
The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region last Friday conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree on Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, a Catholic priest, for his unflagging impact on leprosy control, health and development in Ghana.
The ceremony which coincided with the 5th Congregation of the university at the main campus at Sokode-Lokoe, near Ho, was witnessed by the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and other dignitaries.
An accompanying citation described Father Campbell as “friend to the poor, brother to the needy and servant of humankind whose persistent humanitarian support for the community of lepers and street children earned him the affectionate title, the leper priest.”
Born in Ireland in 1946 and ordained in 1970, Rev Father Campbell sailed to the Tema port on October 13, 1971, to work as a missionary priest in the Society of the Divine Word in Ghana.
He received his Ghanaian citizenship on July 3, 2013.
“Over the years, you have taken an active interest in the plight of the poor and needy, particularly cured lepers.
“Your public displays of solidarity have been about rehabilitating Ghana’s lepers and breaking down the prejudice that makes outcasts of them,” the citation noted.
It acknowledged Father Campbell’s valiant role in championing the rights of lepers within his parish, often inviting them to church services where they were given the place of honour.
The citation again read in part: Your tireless efforts have been based on your belief that improvements can be made in the lives of the poor and needy not only through state subsidy but also through charitable donations and fund raising.
It lauded Father Campbell for several initiatives, including a mill at the leprosarium in Accra and other places in Ghana; a soap making venture, mat making, poultry farms and dress making for those who still have fingers, aimed at equipping cured lepers with skills that allow them to be self-sufficient.
“As a result of your lobbying, church initiatives and government policies are beginning to handle the plight of lepers in a more compassionate manner,” the citation further said.
Father Campbell who received the degree with great joy thanked UHAS for the great honour and said that “if you want to be happy, make someone happy.”
Father Campbell, the founder of Lepers’ Aid Committee, a group of young people determined to assist in curing lepers by raising funds, is a founding member and co-chairman also of Environmental Protection Association, West Arena, Accra, an NGO with the aim of keeping the surroundings clean.
Pix: Father Campbell flanked by Mr Justice Victor J. M. Dotse (left), Chairman of the Governing Council of UHAS and Professor John O. Gyapong, Vice Chancellor.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Ho
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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