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Make peace with your past — Father Michael Lapsley
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It is hard to deal with the trauma of devastating events such as accidents, loss of a loved one, epidemics or even war and ethnic conflict.
Though some people are able to quickly put themselves back on track, the “emotional scar” for others could linger on for life.
However, Father Michael Lapsley, Director of the Institute of Healing of Memories, says individuals, groups and nations must endeavour to make peace with their past and embark on a “journey of recovery,” irrespective of the level of “pain.”
Speaking to The Spectator ahead of the institute’s workshop, in partnership with Action by Christians Against Torture (ACAT) Ghana, he observed that “many people seem to be living normal lives but they still have unfinished business from the past,” hence the need to find possible ways of healing old wounds.
He said it was important for individuals to open up about negative experiences instead of trying on their own to deal with unfortunate real life situations.
“There is always the issue of how to deal with the past; and temptation has been to simply burry and forget the past but the problem is when we try to do that, it never works. The past keeps coming back to bite us. It keeps haunting us in various ways,” he said.
The Healing of Memories workshop scheduled for August 11 to 21, 2021, at Sokode in the Volta Region, seeks to train local facilitators and help participants find solutions to their worst experiences.
Explaining the ‘Healing of Memories’ concept, he emphasised that when people shared their stories in a safe space, they “begin to feel less alone and begin to see that it is possible to live another day and also find meaning in their life.”
Father Michael Lapsley is an Anglican Priest born in New Zealand and trained as a priest in Australia before moving to South Africa. During the days of apartheid racial discrimination, he became a chaplain to Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress and a target of the white supremacy.
In 1990, while in Zimbabwe, he opened a letter that turned out to be a bomb. He lost both hands and one eye. Upon surviving the attack on his life, he established the Institute for the Healing of Memories.
Now, 72, he uses his experience to connect with other persons who have experienced trauma and help them to find healing and to deal with their personal challenges.
His memoir titled “Redeeming the Past: My Journey from Freedom Fighting to Healer” has so far been translated into 12 different languages.
The organisation with footprints in a number of African countries works with prisoners, persons affected by HIV and AIDS, and tackles issues of gender-based violence.
Father Lapsley said the institute was working to “break the cycle that turns victims into victimisers by giving people the chance to deal with what they have inside them.”
He believes there is a link between healing and justice because “the more people heal, the more they are able to participate in struggling for transformative justice.”
The clergyman urged religious groups to create safe environment where people can tell their stories and “earn comfort and encourage from one another.”
By Ernest Nutsugah
Political Scientist Dr. Kwasi Amakye-Boateng has argued that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) faces a tougher task ahead of the 2028 elections because of what he described as improvements in Ghana’s economy under President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking on Precise FM on Friday October 2, 2026, the Senior KNUST Lecturer said Mahama had performed creditably on inflation and the exchange rate, underscoring the need for strong opposition leadership to make the NPP attractive to Ghanaians through new national leaders.
He said the NPP’s attempts to attribute the economic improvement mainly to the government’s GoldBod policies did not fully answer why the party itself did not achieve similar results when it was in government.
Dr. Amakye-Boateng holds the view that the NPP has “extra work to do” if it wants to present a convincing alternative to voters in 2028, pointing to why Awentami Paul Afoko should be the best person to be elected as National Chairman.
Dr. Amakye-Boateng also linked that challenge to Mahamudu Bawumia’s record as Vice President under the Akufo-Addo administration.
According to him, Dr. Bawumia could face questions about any new economic proposals he presents during the next election cycle because he served in the previous government.
“
Bawumia’s integrity has been on the line because he participated in Akufo-Addo’s government,” he said.
He argued that if Bawumia campaigns on policies that differ from those implemented under the previous administration, voters could ask why he did not pursue those policies while in government.
“If Bawumia campaigns and tells the electorate about new policies he intends to bring, that would be compromised because people would ask him, ‘Why didn’t you do that when you were in the erstwhile NPP government?’” he said.
For Dr. Amakye-Boateng, the NPP’s response should begin with a change in its internal leadership and identity.
He said a new leadership structure could allow the party to distance itself from its previous record and present a fresh political message to voters.
“With a new identity starting with the election of Awentami Paul Afoko, then they would be on a new trajectory that would appeal to the masses,” he said.
By: Jacob Aggrey
President John Dramani Mahama has described the Global Mercy hospital ship as a “floating vessel of true mercy and humanism” after touring the world’s largest civilian hospital ship docked at the Tema Port.
In a post after his visit, President Mahama said he was deeply moved by his interactions with fellow Ghanaians undergoing life-changing treatments on board the ship, including children with orthopaedic conditions, many of whom had waited years to receive care.
The President welcomed the Mercy Ships team back to Ghana for their fifth mission since 1991.
“In a world where countries and individuals are increasingly focused on self-interest, Mercy Ships remains a floating vessel of true mercy and humanism,” Mahama stated.
He noted that the impact of Mercy Ships in Ghana is remarkable, adding that during its 10-month stay, the mission will continue to provide direct patient care while training local health workers alongside its international medical team.
Sharing a lighter moment from the tour, the President said as someone who had never sailed on a ship before, he expected to be walking like a sailor.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how steady and stable the ship is. It felt just like any modern hospital on land,” he said.
President Mahama expressed his gratitude to the dedicated medical crew, volunteers, donors, local partners, and friends of Mercy Ships, assuring them that this will not be their last mission to Ghana.
“My sincere gratitude to the dedicated medical crew, volunteers, donors, local partners, and friends of Mercy Ships. As I told them today, this is not the first time they have been here, and it will certainly not be the last.”
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians, despite appreciating humanitarian support.
According to him, “While we appreciate humanitarian support, my administration remains firmly committed to expanding access to quality healthcare for all Ghanaians. We are expanding free primary health care, strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), investing in hospitals and health workers, and using the Ghana Medical Trust Fund to ease the burden of serious non-communicable diseases on families.”
“To the crew of the Global Mercy, Ghana says thank you,” Mahama added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
