Ahanta West Municipal Director of Health Services Timothy Kobina Ofori has revealed that a total of 110 mentally challenged persons are currently roaming the streets of the municipality.

The number was known after a physical count of mentally challenged persons on the streets following numerous complaints from residents and shop owners about how they are being harassed and sometimes terrorized.

“It is just an eyesore. Once you enter Ahanta West, on the streets left, right and center you will see mad people all over. We were inundated with calls from all over about how they are terrorizing people. Apart from that too, they have been heaping and sometime scattering refuse all over the place.”

In an interview with Connect FM, Mr. Kobina Ofori also indicated that checks at the municipal psychiatric unit have revealed that mental cases are alarmingly on the increase.

“So, in recent times, we are channeling more efforts on mental health. We are also in talks with other agencies and stakeholders for support.”

Mr. Kobina Ofori noted that the absence of a regional rehabilitation center is affecting their efforts at evacuating mentally challenged persons from the streets.

He said: “The whole region, we don’t have a mental rehabilitation center. If you look at the current number, we believe a regional rehabilitation center will help greatly to get these people off the streets.

“We can then be assured that once we evacuate them from the streets, there is a place we can take them for rehabilitation. And if after the rehabilitation they are rejected by their families, the state can use them for menial works like sweeping of our streets and desilting gutters.”