By Hafsa Obeng/Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, Nov. 13, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Baba Mahama, National President of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) has urged men to speak out in their difficult times, to end suicides among them.
Speaking at a seminar to commemorate the 2023 International Men’s Day celebration, organised by the National Christian Men’s Forum (NCM), in Accra, Mr Mahama noted that “society has recognised that men turn to suffer from the consequences of suicidal tendencies more than women.”
The day, which is being celebrated in Ghana for the first time in Ghana draws global awareness to many issues that men face, including parental alienation, abuse, homelessness, suicide, and violence.
It is also an occasion to celebrate boy’s and men’s lives, achievements, contributions, in particular for their contributions to the nation, union, union, society, community, family marriage and childcare
The event which brought together various representatives from 10 churches was on the theme “Zero male suicides”.
According to Mr Mahama, society had recognised the preponderance of men who died through suicide, adding that “a day should be observed to address the issues and give pointers to men as to how they can fight this canker.”
Addressing the causes of male suicides, Mr Mahama indicated that high rate of male suicides was as a result of the nature of profession carried out by some men.
“Many of us are in love with the military and with the military you can come out of a war with gory details of what happened, and it can lead to all forms of depressions with the attendance consequences of suicide,” he added.
Mr Mahama said “the challenges of being a man where you are stereotyped to be someone who doesn’t cry, someone who shows pain in public.”
He also stated that a number of suicide cases were non-spiritual, saying “Jesus has promise total salvation for the spirit, body and the soul.”
Mr Maham therefore urged men to be spiritually and physically strong, adding that “when you are fruitfully engaged in the ministry of the Lord, the tendency for suicide to bring you down might not be as strong as when you are an idle hand.”
Mr Atto Hope, Vice Chairman, Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowship, Northern Accra Diocese said men find themselves in a peculia positions as compared to women.
According to him “physiologically man is made to be very independent and for that matter men do not share their challenges with other people.”
He added that, “within the NCM, there will be that comfort to share, adding that by so doing the level of male suicides will be reduced to a minimum level.”
Mr Hope advised men to desist from issues that bothered them and have a free mind.
GNA