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The Willing Ways Foundation Ghana in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional mental health Authority under the auspices of the Regional Health directorate has commenced a project for the removal of destitute, mentally ill or mad people from the streets of the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.
This follows series of reports by some residents in Kumasi of being terrified and attacked by these persons who have been roaming on the streets. The project dubbed ‘Operation remove vagrants from streets’ seeks to remove most of mentally deranged persons to the foundation’s constructed rehabilitation centre for treatment and transformation.
On Thursday August 11th morning, Chief Executive Officer of the Willing Ways Foundation, Madam Lydia Abena Manu together with the Ashanti regional mental health coordinator Madam Faustina Nuako with the support of some police personnel picked up about 10 mentally deranged women of which two were pregnant from various streets in Kumasi.
Speaking in an interview with Otec fm’s Evans Agyei Sikapa, Madam Abena Manu described the exercise as a tough one as most they had to spend much time on these vagrants before they agreed to go with them to the centre. She added that despite the difficulties, the foundation is not giving up as plans are made to clear off the streets these people.
“Today we have decided to start with the females but sooner, we will come for the men too. We chose to start with the women because we feel they are the most vulnerable.
The Ashanti Regional Mental Health Coordinator Madam Faustina Nuako on her part called on stakeholders and well doing persons in the region and Ghana at large to lend helping hands to the Willing Ways Foundation and others who are into mental healthcare as treatment of such persons costs much. She also advised families who have such mentally unsound relatives not to give up on them as mental disease are curable just like other illness.
The Willing Ways Foundation and Rehabilitation Centre since its existence over a decade has joined hands with the Ashanti Regional Health Service in rehabilitation of people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction problems. The Foundation has also supported the health service in advocacy, awareness creations and capacity building for students, police and other bodies as far as mental health is concerned.
