• Live Radio
  • Videos
  • About
  • Contact
  • Despite Media
Ghana Election 2020
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • VIDEOS
  • Media
    • Videos
    • Audio
    • Live Radio
    • Photos
  • Election 2020
Local News
 
 
 
Home Comment Features 201401

Suicide, a worrying calamity in Ghana

25-Jan-2014
/ Features, Comment
Email
Print
Comments 0
(0)
Comments
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
 

It was the classic study of Emile Durkheim on suicide in 1897, that exposed the subject matter to many people in the world.

The academic piece categorised the subject matter into egoistic, altruistic, anomic and fatalistic suicides.

According to the Theorist who was also a renowned Sociologist, suicide of all sorts were blamable on the society, explaining that society pushes individuals to commit the act.

Durkheim said egoistic suicide occurs when an individual in the society losses the bond; togetherness and oneness that humans have with their families and friends. Excessive individuation, that is the increasing detachment of the individual from his/her community and family makes the person to feel worthless and could result in suicide. This individuation is more common in individualistic societies like Europe, but is gradually catching up in Africa due to rapid urbanisation.

He said another cause of suicide is a sense of being overwhelmingly engaged in group goals and believes. This occurs in societies with very high integration, example being the military field where people may kill themselves to satisfy group goals. This type of suicide is termed altruistic suicide.

Anomic suicide reflects an individuals moral confusion and lack of social direction, which is reflected in dramatic social and economic upheaval and includes extreme economic failures or dramatic economic fortunes.

Fatalistic suicide is common when a person is extensively regulated, when their futures are pitilessly blocked with oppressive discipline. It occurs in oppressive societies such as prisons because the person is denied of his/her freedom.

Suicide, an act of one killing him/her self is becoming increasingly high in Ghana lately. Not too long ago, a lawyer of high repute allegedly hanged himself in a popular suburb in Accra. A pastor equally died in similar strange and unexplained circumstances.

A national daily reported that the 44-year-old Lawyer, Kofi Yawson-Adjei, who was the Secretary of Ghana Institution of Surveyors and a Valuer, hanged himself in his private office on the first floor of rented premises at Adabraka.

The father of three is said to have left his Kokomlemle residence about 0300 hours for his office in a taxi. He left a written note directing a lady named Narh to give a signed cheque for GH3,000 to his wife.

The Ghana News Agency also reported that two persons including a fetish priest committed suicide in separate incidents in the Eastern Region. They were Andrews Dramani, 25, a worker of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency, and Kwasi Kuma, a 54-year fetish priest.


Unconfirmed report indicates that at least five people commit suicide each day in Ghana.

The America Centre for Disease Control and Prevention which is responsible for collecting data on suicide said in 2010, 38, 364 persons committed suicide in the US, making the act the 10th leading cause of death in that country.

It noted that someone died every 13.7 minutes through suicide that year. This situation might not be too different in Ghana given the rapid social changes affecting every fabric of the society.

Dr Dan-Bright Dzorgbo, Head of the Sociology Department of the University of Ghana said there was no scientific statistics of suicide in Ghana but agreed that the trend is increasing in the country.

He said the rising cases of suicide are as a result of social inequality due to the wide gap between the rich and the poor.

He explained that even though Ghana could be classified as a lower middle-income country, only few people are economically satisfied, leaving the majority to wallow in abject poverty.

Dr Dzorgbo told the Ghana News Agency that due to social mobility, many people strive to move up the social ladder and through that they might contract loans and their inability to pay back results in suicide.

He said there is so much hopelessness in the country without any social support mechanisms to address the needs of the disadvantaged.

Dr Dzorgbo noted that the family system had also broken down and created individualistic societies where each one fends for him or herself. Sociologically speaking, Dzorgbo said suicide is becoming very common in Ghana because life is becoming very competitive.

People move to urban environment trying to do something better but they are unable to meet the targetThis can cause suicide.

Dr Dzorgbo said in traditional societies like Ghana, most people who commit suicide might have done something wrong and might not want to expose themselves and as such commit suicide to end it all.

He was of the view that traditional support systems have become weak in the country especially as economic and social nobilities are becoming supreme, and suggested the need for the academia to conduct research to ascertain the facts concerning the phenomena.

Dr Dzorgbo suggested to the government to introduce social protection policies to assist the less privileged in the society to overcome the problems.

He observed that insurance policies must equally be introduced to aid the people.

The American Foundation for Suicide, which has been focusing on the study of the subject indicates risk factors to suicide as; mental disorders, in particular depression or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, alcohol or substance abuse or dependence, schizophrenia, borderline or antisocial personality disorder and conduct disorder (in youth).

Additionally, the Foundation said psychotic disorders; psychotic symptoms in the context of any disorder, anxiety disorders, impulsivity and aggression, previous suicide attempt and family history of attempted or completed suicide are all serious risk factors to suicide.

Research from social psychologists shows that about 50 to 75 per cent of the people who commit suicide usually show symptoms.

People thinking about suicide may say so directly: Im going to kill myself, I just want the pain to end, or I cant see any way out.

Most of the time, people who kill themselves talk about wanting to kill themselves, or saying they wish they were dead.

They look for a way to kill themselves, such as hoarding medicine or buying a gun, talking about a specific suicide plan, feel hopeless or having no reason to live, feeling trapped, desperate, or needing to escape from an intolerable situation.

Some also have the feeling of being a burden to others, feeling humiliated, having intense anxiety and panic attacks.

More so, losing interest in things, or losing the ability to experience pleasure, insomnia, becoming socially isolated and withdrawn from friends, family, and others are all signs of to tragic incidents.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Ebenezer Tetteh, Northern Regional Public Relations Officer, suicide is a criminal offence and when convicted, a person may face stiffer punishment.

He explained that the criminal code Act 29 of 1960 gives the legal bases for suicide to be a crime.

It must be pointed out that suicide is not only a national crisis but a developmental obstacle that must be debated across the country and there must be a body responsible to reduce or prevent the menace.

The classification of suicide as a criminal offence must also be relooked, while government should concentrate efforts at improving social relations and the living standards of the people.

Ghana cannot afford to lose precious lives through suicide and something must be done without delay.

Source: A GNA Feature by Paul Achonga Kwode

 

 
 

 

Comments ( 0 ): Post Your Comments >>

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
Featured Video
Previous Post

Converting Ex-Convicts To Successful Taxpayers

Next Post

Poetic Tribute To Komla Dumor

 
 

More Stories

Andy Owusu Writes: S3 Asa Kumawu!! Tribute To Hon. Basoah
The State of Car Financing in Ghana Today: An Overview
15th March 2023 - “Beware the Ides of March!”
West Africa's Pollution Levels Surge: QNET Air Purifier Aids In Staying Healthy
NPP Korle Klottey Constituency Doesn't Need A Parliamentary Candidate; What We Need Is A Member Of Parliament
NPP National Youth Organizer Is Right: Let’s Replicate Apc Strategy With Alan Cash To Break The
Professor Enyonam Yao Kwawukume @70!
Constitutional Instrument On Voter Registration: Leaving Some Behind?
A Shining Fallen Star, Goes Home Today 17th March 2023. Case Study For Developing Economies
Next Post

Poetic Tribute To Komla Dumor

  Opinion

  • Articles/Features
  • Editorials
  • Announcement
  • Press Release


 
 

Other Features Stories

  • Andy Owusu Writes: S3 Asa Kumawu!! Tribute To Hon. Basoah

  • The State of Car Financing in Ghana Today: An Overview

  • 15th March 2023 - “Beware the Ides of March!”

  • West Africa's Pollution Levels Surge: QNET Air Purifier Aids In Staying Healthy

  • NPP Korle Klottey Constituency Doesn't Need A Parliamentary Candidate; What We Need Is A Member Of Parliament

  • NPP National Youth Organizer Is Right: Let’s Replicate Apc Strategy With Alan Cash To Break The

  • Professor Enyonam Yao Kwawukume @70!

  • Constitutional Instrument On Voter Registration: Leaving Some Behind?

  • A Shining Fallen Star, Goes Home Today 17th March 2023. Case Study For Developing Economies

  • "Investigative Terrorism”: A New Descendant of Media Tyranny!

 

 
 

Popular Videos

The President Would Have Appointed His Wife As The EC Chair If He Had The Chance- Fuseini Donkor

Peace Power Sports (27/3/2023)

Kokrokoo Discussion Segment On Peace 104.3 FM (28/3/2023)

Akan News @ 6am On Peace 104.3 FM(26/3/2023)

The Biggest Economic Challenge In Ghana Is Hypocrisy- Fmr Afram Plains DCE

Kokrokoo Live On Peace 104.3 FM (27/3/2023)

Peace FM Online and Despite Media

peacefmonline.com offers its reading audience with a comprehensive online source for up-to-the-minute news about politics, business, entertainment and other issues in Ghana

Follow us on social media:

Category

  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Trivia
  • Foreign
  • Audio
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Elections
Decision Time
Ghana Election 2020 2016 Elections
Services
Live Radio Audio on Demand Ghana Elections Advertise with Us
Useful Links
Despite Media About Us Contact Us Feedback Form Terms and Conditions Privacy
Our Brands
Despite Media UTV Peace FM Okay FM Hello FM Neat FM Peacefmonline
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2020 Peacefmonline.com - An online portal owned and managed by Despite Media

  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Articles
  • Trivia
  • Foreign
  • Live Radio
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Audio
  • Election 2020

© 2020 Peacefmonline.com - An online portal owned and managed by Despite Media