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NGO presents items to institutions
Tamale, July 11, GNA - BasicNeeds-Ghana, an NGO has
presented 11 motorcycles and 13 computers with accessories
valued at about 53.9 million dollars to some institutions in
Northern, Upper East and West Regions.
They were Amasachina Self-help Association (ASHA),
Gub-katimal Society (GKS), Shekinah Clinic, Zuuri Organic
Vegetable Farmers' Association (ZOVFA) and Programme for
Integrated Rural Development (PRIDE).
The rest were Department of Community Development (DCD),
Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Centre for People's
Empowerment and Rights Initiative (CPRI).
Mr Yaro B. Peter, Programme Manager of BasicNeeds in-charge
of Northern Ghana Programme, said the Ngo in collaboration
with the institutions had assisted more than 14,508 mental
and epilepsy patients with 90 per cent of them receiving
regular treatment.
He said about 11,556 mental patients had been rehabilitated
and now engaged in various household and income generating
activities.
Mr Peter said the NGO had assisted some of the institutions
to extend financial assistance to about 582 people to
acquire skills and undertake income generation activities.
He said the NGO had supported a horticultural project at
Datoyili near Tamale for treated mental patients as part of
efforts to equip them with gardening skills.
Mr Peter said it had in addition, engaged herbalists and
facilitated closer collaboration between them and staff of
health institutions on skills and care for treated mental
patients.
Mr Peter announced that BasicNeeds was assisting in the
construction of a facility for the Community Psychiatric
Unit at the Upper East Regional Hospital at Wa and so far,
170,000,000 cedis (Gh 17,000 cedis) had been provided for
the project.
He commended Comic Relief of United Kingdom, European
Commission, European Union Delegation in Ghana, and United
Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) the
donors, for providing funds for to purchase the items.
Mr Lance Montia, West Africa Representative of BasicNeeds,
said the NGO sought to promote sustainable livelihoods for
cured mental patients and integrate them into society to
enable them contribute to the welfare of their families.
He appealed to policy makers, particularly the metropolitan,
municipal and district assemblies to include mental patients
in their development programmes.
Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister in an
address read on his behalf, commended BasicNeeds for its
immense contribution towards the marginalised in society.
He urged beneficiaries to use the items for their intended
purpose and ensured their proper maintenance.
GNA
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