The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) marked Father’s Day and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month with a donation of essential items to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
The donation formed part of the authority’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) outreach programme aimed at improving patient care and supporting efforts to raise awareness of mental well-being.
The NPA donated items valued at GH¢100,000 to support the hospital’s operations and improve the welfare of patients.
The items presented last Saturday included 20 bags of rice, five gallons of cooking oil, two sacks of sugar, 17 packs of bottled water, a sack of towels, a sack of mosquito nets, boxes of toothpaste and some toothbrushes.
Others are insecticide spray, Madar washing powder, bathing soap, 30 mattresses and tissue paper.
The NPA delegation, led by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Maria Edith Oquaye, and the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Maxwell Ampadu, toured several wards of the hospital during which they interacted with patients and healthcare personnel, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and needs of the facility.
Presentation
Presenting the items, Mrs Oquaye said the gesture was intended not only to provide material support but also to show compassion and solidarity with those receiving mental health care.
"We have been around the walls, and honestly, it is heartbreaking and heart-wrenching.
We only came here just to show support, but after what we have seen, I think we are going to come back again in our numbers," she said.
She encouraged men to prioritise their mental well-being, seek help when needed and engage in open conversations about mental health.
For his part, Mr Ampadu said the initiative reflected the NPA’s commitment to compassion, dignity and social support for vulnerable groups, beyond its regulatory mandate in the downstream petroleum sector.
He said the coincidence of Father’s Day and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month in June presented an opportunity to highlight the importance of emotional well-being among men, urging them to speak openly about their challenges and seek help when necessary.
A Medical Officer, Dr Joseph Atsutse Agbenyegah, who received the items on behalf of the hospital, described the gesture as a meaningful act of love that would help improve the welfare of patients, particularly those without family support.
