This blog is managed by the content creator and not GhanaWeb, its affiliates, or employees. Advertising on this blog requires a minimum of GH₵50 a week. Contact the blog owner with any queries.
The Universal Friendship Organisation (UFO) has issued an urgent appeal to the Government and health authorities, demanding the immediate removal and rehabilitation of individuals with severe mental health challenges living on the nation’s streets.
Describing the current situation as a “national crisis and a humanitarian failure,” the organization warns that the increasing visibility of this vulnerable population poses a direct threat to public safety and human dignity.
According to Samuel Adobah, President of UFO, recent observations by the Organisation reveal a harrowing reality across communities.
Citizens living with mental health conditions are being left to fend for themselves in deplorable conditions, with reports of individuals defecating in public, consuming harmful substances, and engaging in hazardous activities such as lighting uncontrolled fires.
“We are witnessing a tragedy unfold in real-time,” said Mr. Samuel Adobah, President of the Universal Friendship Organisation.
“We have abandoned our most vulnerable citizens to the streets. This is not only a security risk to the public, who are exposed to unpredictable behavior and unsafe conditions, but it is a profound violation of the rights and dignity of these individuals. We cannot claim to be a peaceful society while allowing our fellow citizens to perish on the pavement.”
UFO stresses that mental health is a critical public health issue requiring a collective, compassionate, and immediate response, not neglect. While acknowledging existing frameworks like the Mental Health Authority Act, UFO asserts that a failure in implementation has led to this breaking point.
The Universal Friendship Organisation urgently calls upon His Excellency the President, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, the Mental Health Authority, all Psychiatric Hospitals, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to trigger a coordinated emergency response.
UFO demands that the relevant authorities immediately:
1. Conduct a Nationwide Street Rescue Operation: Immediately remove individuals with
severe mental health challenges from the streets and transport them to safety.
2. Provide Emergency and Long-Term Shelter: Ensure the availability of adequate, humane shelter and rehabilitation facilities to provide immediate care.
3. Increase Access to Professional Care: Commit resources to making mental health services accessible to all, decongesting psychiatric hospitals and investing in community-based care.
4. Enforce and Implement Existing Policies: Move beyond legislation and take tangible steps to address the socio-economic root causes of homelessness and mental health crises, in full compliance with the Mental Health Authority Act.
5. Establish a National Mental Health Check-ups Day: Allow the general public to periodically check their mental status.
The Universal Friendship Organisation, under the leadership of Adobah, stands ready to support the government and all stakeholders in this endeavor.
UFO urges civil society, religious bodies, and the private sector to join in advocating for the rights and dignity of these individuals.
“This is a test of our national character,” Mr. Adobah concluded. “Together, we must act decisively not just to clear the streets, but to heal the wounds of our society. True friendship and peace begin with how we treat our most vulnerable.”
About Universal Friendship Organisation (UFO)
The Universal Friendship Organisation (UFO) is dedicated to building friendship across all boards to make the world a peaceful place for all, no matter the circumstances one finds themselves in. The Organisation advocates for the rights, dignity, and inclusion of marginalized groups within society.
Media Contact:
Mr. Samuel Adobah
President, Universal Friendship Organisation (UFO)
0503355150
Gifty Nyamekye
Acting Vice President UFO.
+233 24 751 2635.
Nana Kwame Anorh
Executive Member
+233 24 301 5696.
