“You are not alone”—Mental Health Authority pledges support for Ghanaian returnees

The Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Eugene K. Dordoye, has assured Ghanaian returnees of psychosocial support and compassionate reintegration, urging them to see their return home not as the end of dignity but the beginning of healing, hope, and restoration.

Speaking during a reception for citizens returning to Ghana after experiences abroad on May 27, Dr. Dordoye described the country as a place of “healing, hope, and renewed belonging,” emphasising that returnees should not see themselves as defined by hardship, but rather by resilience and courage.

Drawing from traditional wisdom in Nunyãdume, he opened his remarks with a proverb that resonated strongly with themes of homecoming and identity:

“No matter how far the bird flies over strange lands, it still remembers the tree where its wings first learned the wind.”

“Today, Ghana stands as that tree,” he declared.

Addressing the gathering with warmth and empathy, Dr. Dordoye acknowledged the emotional and psychological toll many returnees have endured. He noted that several individuals had faced rejection, exploitation, discrimination, uncertainty, fear, and violence while abroad, experiences that often leave “invisible injuries and scars on the mind.”

“Some have endured burdens heavier than luggage,” he said. “Such experiences do not only wound the body; they can leave invisible injuries and scars on the mind and sometimes, just sometimes, our spirit.”

Despite these hardships, he praised the courage of returnees for persevering and making the journey home. Referencing 2 Corinthians 4:8–9, he reminded attendees that although they may have been “hard pressed on every side,” they were “not crushed.”

The address placed significant emphasis on mental health and emotional well-being, with Dr. Dordoye stressing that psychological care should not be viewed as a privilege reserved for a few.

“Mental health is not a luxury reserved for the fortunate,” he said. “Emotional well-being, dignity, hope, and psychological safety are fundamental human needs.”

He further assured returnees that their pain, experiences, and recovery matter to the nation.

The chief executive also highlighted the challenges many returnees may face during reintegration, including anxiety about the future, financial insecurity, stigma, and loneliness. He urged society to approach such experiences with compassion rather than judgment.

“Returning home can itself become another emotional journey,” he observed. “These reactions are human, understandable, and deserving of compassion.”

However, he encouraged returnees to view their homecoming as the beginning of restoration rather than the end of opportunity or dignity.

“You have returned not as people defined by hardship, but as fellow citizens whose experiences, strength, and survival continue to enrich the national story of Ghana,” he stated.

Quoting Psalm 30:5 from the Bible—”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”—Dr. Dordoye reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that no returnee walks the path of reintegration alone.

According to him, the Mental Health Authority, in collaboration with partners and relevant ministries, is strengthening psychosocial support systems, counselling services, community-based care, and reintegration programmes to support returnees both emotionally and socially.

“You are valued. You are respected. And you are not alone,” he told the gathering.

Returning once more to the wisdom of Nunyãdume elders, Dr. Dordoye shared another proverb:

“When the river returns to its source, the forest does not ask where it has been; it simply makes room for the water to flow again.”

“Ghana makes room for you again,” he said.

On behalf of the Mental Health Authority, the Ministers for Health and Foreign Affairs, and the people of Ghana, Dr. Dordoye officially welcomed the returnees home and expressed hope for their future.

“May healing find you. May dignity surround you. And may hope walk beside you in the days ahead,” he said

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)