A GNA feature by Ewoenam Kpodo
Ho, Feb 07, GNA-In the quiet neighbourhood of SDA Down in Ho Fiave, a tragedy unfolded almost unnoticed. Atsu Vieku, a 63‑year‑old fitter, died after setting himself ablaze in December 2025
That desperate act left his family and community grappling with unanswered questions.
Vieku, succumbed to severe burns he inflicted upon himself, in his room at their family house, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and whispered concerns.
Family members recalled a man, who kept to himself except for few friends.
Vieku lived a life marked by solitude. He had no wife, no children. He kept few close friends.
The deceased sister, Madam Esinam Vieku, recalled his chilling words: “He would often say he would burn the house along with himself using petrol to end it all.”
Vieku’s story raises questions about alcohol abuse and attendant implications including the feeling of worthlessness, a cry for help that went unheard, and family support to people feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or having suicide thoughts.
What is Suicide, then?
Suicide, according to www.medicinenet.com, is the act of purposely ending one’s own life. The views of societies suicide vary widely according to culture and religion.
Suicide Concerns
Mr Charles Legbedze, Assembly Member of the Area, who received a distress call, when the deceased set himself ablaze and played a part in getting him to the hospital for treatment, said he wondered what could have driven him to do what he did.
Mr Legbedze recalled: “I got there (the house), he identified me. ‘Oh Assembly, I’m dying.’ And he asked me to help him but there was nothing I could do. His whole skin was ripped off…”
Mr Godson Dotse Vieku, the deceased’s younger brother, who admitted his alcohol abuse to Ghana News Agency (GNA) insisted the late brother never had any mental health issue, never lacked basic necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter.
Those warnings, dismissed at the time, became a grim prophecy, he said.
“Alcohol was both his companion and his undoing. Though he was sober at work, he drank heavily after hours. Illness forced him to stop for a while, but he eventually returned to drinking, losing his job and deepening his isolation. His despair grew louder than the advice of loved ones, echoing threats that were never fully addressed.
“When the fire came, it was not just flames but a cry to escape. His body fought for three days in hospital before surrendering. His burial was a quiet affair, attended by only a handful of mourners—a final reflection of the loneliness that defined his life.”
Beyond One Man’s Story
Vieku’s death raises urgent questions about alcohol abuse, mental health and family support. His brother insisted he had no mental illness and lacked nothing materially, yet experts point to deeper social and cultural factors: being unmarried, childless, and living in a family house without personal space may have compounded feelings of worthlessness.
Alcoholism, psychologists note, is a major risk factor for suicide. It lowers inhibitions, clouds judgment, and magnifies despair. Vieku’s repeated threats were not mere words—they were cries for help. But without intervention, those cries faded into silence.
The Larger Picture
The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers suicide as a serious public health issue, drawing a link between suicide and mental disorders – in particular depression and Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs).
It notes that suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds and claims over 720,000 lives each year, globally, affecting families and communities worldwide.
The WHO recommends that suicide, which is preventable, requires supporting one another and fostering a world where mental health is prioritised and no one feels they are alone in their struggles.
In March 2023, Ghana amended the Criminal and Other Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29) and decriminalised attempted suicides and provided for related matters, following findings from WHO in 2021, revealing that seven persons per 10,000 people within the Ghanaian population died by suicide in 2019.
Again, according to the Mental Health Authority of Ghana (MHA), data from Ghana’s district health information management systems show that between January and June 2024, the country reported 543 attempted suicides and 81 completed suicides.
These numbers already surpass the total number of suicide cases recorded in 2023, when 594 attempts and 48 completed suicides were documented.
This steep rise, especially in completed suicides, underscores the need for urgent action to address the mental health challenges facing many Ghanaians, particularly young people aged 15-29, who are disproportionately affected by suicide worldwide.
Yet Vieku’s case shows how stigma, denial, and lack of timely support still leave vulnerable people at risk.
Protective factors—family bonds, marriage, children, or strong community ties—can provide meaning and purpose. In their absence, despair can take root. As one local chief observed, “The family heard his threats, saw him with petrol, but waited until he executed what he had in mind.”
Alcoholism and Related Factors
Mr Jones Kwesi Tagbor, National Executive Committee Member, Ghana Psychological Association, who also doubles at the Ho Municipal Hospital attempted possible factors that could drive Vieku to commit suicide.
He said: “We can talk about social and cultural factors. He being not married at his age, not having children and not having his own space – staying at a family house. So, looking at these social factors, and in our cultural perspective, this was someone who might be thinking like he was not worthy, good-for-nothing.
“And about the family saying food, for example, was available to him, so why did what he did, everybody has his/her priorities.”
He said apart from these factors, alcoholism was a major risk factor for suicide, saying being addicted to alcohol; a depressant could increase risk by lowering inhibition, straining cognition and impairing judgement.
Protective Factors
The unfortunate incident got some people to suspect there was a breakdown in the traditional family system, saying the family was supposed to have provided emotional, financial and practical help to the deceased.
Mr Tagbor said in this context, the underlying factor, alcoholism required a “biopsychosocial-spiritual model,” a comprehensive approach to managing nothing.
Alcoholism management could be difficult, necessitating total dedication from family members.
The model addresses four key pillars: Medical treatment for the body; Emotional and cognitive support for the mind; Strong social networks to prevent isolation and exploring the spiritual sense of meaning or purpose to sustain hope.
“Alcohol use is related to suicide because it affects the brain and mental health. Once you have a family member, who has become addicted to alcohol and has started neglecting his personal hygiene, saying negative things, seek professional help immediately. Waiting can be dangerous,” Mr Tagbor advised.
A Call to Action
Vieku’s story is not just about one man – it is a reminder that suicide is preventable. Alcohol addiction requires comprehensive care: biological treatment, psychological therapy, social support, and spiritual grounding.
Families and communities must listen, act, and provide help before despair turns fatal.
His life may have ended in quiet desperation, but his story speaks loudly: cries for help must never be ignored.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah