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Mental Health Authority urges parliament to fast-track repeal of attempted suicide law
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Dr. Akwasi Osei – CEO Mental Health Authority
In line with the advocacy against suicide, the Mental Health Authority has asked the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament to speed up processes to ensure the law criminalising attempted suicide is repealed from the country’s criminal code.
It said a private member’s bill sponsored by the chairman of the committee was yet to be discussed on the floor of the House hence the reminder to members on the need to take action on the bill.
In a statement to commemorate this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day which fell on September 10, 2022, the authority maintained that individuals who attempted suicide must not be punished by the law because such persons had “cried for help and we failed them.”
It said, in most cases, people who attempted suicide exhibited behaviours or expressed thoughts that were indicative of the action they intended to pursue and would have “appreciated some help to prevent them from killing themselves.”
“These individuals have cried to us for help, and we failed them. They took action to kill themselves and thank God they survived. Must we punish them when we rather failed them? Definitely not!” The authority argued.
Expressing concern over the “painful and far too high” incidence of suicide cases in the country, the statement urged the public to take note of warning signs of suicide and help provide the needed support to persons with suicide tendencies.
It highlighted some of the “major warning signs” which include openly expressing the intention to kill oneself, withdrawal from family, friends, and society, and “expression of no sense of purpose in life or in continuing to live.”
“They may engage in painting, writing, talking about death, expressing hopelessness and finding ways to kill themselves, they may look for poisonous substances, among others. These are simple notifiable warning signs that signify a cry for help, and we must promptly act to help.
“They may be seen sighing too often, suddenly arranging things in order or instructing how to take care of dependants or express a desire to travel without knowing when they will return,” it added.
According to the authority, “no one needs to die by suicide,” hence the need to take every opportunity to learn about suicide and seek professional help for people in distress.
“A visit to a psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor and to a medical facility is a source of help. As a matter of fact, even in the last seconds, a conversation with the right person is able to convince the individual to rescind their decision,” it noted.
The authority again urged organisations to “protect their important human resource by promoting and integrating mental health interventions in their work culture because all workers are at risk of experiencing some mental health challenges at some point in time.”
The MHA commended telecommunication companies for providing support and encouraged individuals contemplating suicide to “kindly postpone such action” and get help or call any of the helplines available on the internet.
By Spectator Reporter
African leaders have been urged to strengthen political commitment and domestic investment to end preventable maternal deaths and AIDS by 2030.
The call comes as African health ministers and policymakers meet in Accra to deliberate on health financing, health security and universal health coverage across the continent.
Mr Edouard Bizimana, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the African Union’s (AU) 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra.
He said Africa needed increased domestic investment to build resilient health systems as it continued to grapple with infectious diseases and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mr Bizimana, who is also Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, said although Africa accounted for nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it bore 24 per cent of the global disease burden while having less than three per cent of the global health workforce and only one per cent of global health expenditure.
“Despite maternal mortality declining by nearly 40 per cent since 2000, Africa still accounts for about 70 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while almost two-thirds of people living with HIV reside on the continent,” he said.
Mr Bizimana said the growing burden of NCDs was placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent painful human realities, preventable losses and unacceptable inequalities, they remind us that health is not an expense it is a strategic investment and a prerequisite for our sovereignty and development. “he said.
Mr Bizimana said recent global health emergencies had exposed Africa’s vulnerability and underscored the need to expand local production of medicines and vaccines, strengthen the health workforce and improve emergency preparedness.
“Our citizens expect resilient health systems where every mother can give birth safely, every child has access to essential healthcare and every African enjoys quality health services regardless of where they live,” he said.
The two-day summit, being held ahead of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, has brought together health ministers, policymakers and health stakeholders to identify solutions to Africa’s health financing and security challenges.
Madam Florence Samizi, Tanzania’s Deputy Health Minister, called for stronger collaboration among AU Member States to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
The summit is being held on the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equality and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa.”
The meeting is expected to adopt the Accra Declaration, a roadmap to strengthen Africa’s health systems and advance health sovereignty by 2030. -GNA
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Political Science, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato says the imprisonment of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will have little meaning unless it leads to a broader crackdown on illegal mining.
In a post on his Facebook page on the July 21, 2026, Dr. Zaato said the judgment should mark the beginning of efforts to completely eradicate galamsey and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said the country must work towards restoring polluted rivers, protecting forests and ensuring that people implicated in illegal mining activities are prosecuted.
According to him, those the President has publicly acknowledged to be involved in galamsey should face prosecution.
He called for the prosecution of district chief executives (DCEs), members of Parliament (MPs) and senior political party officials who have been accused of engaging in or supporting illegal mining.
Dr. Zaato further urged the government to take decisive action to end the destruction of the country’s forests caused by galamsey.
He maintained that the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would only have a lasting impact if it results in a comprehensive and impartial fight against illegal mining across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
