Wa Central: Rashid Pelpuo plants tree at proposed mental home in Wa

Member of Parliament for Wa Central Constituency, Dr. Hassan Rashid Pelpuo has joined the Bahass Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization, in planting trees at the Foundation's proposed site for mental home at Guli, near Wa in the Upper West Region.

The multiple-purpose mental home facility is a self-help initiative by the Bahass Foundation to accommodate people with mental illness, wandering about the streets.

The tree planting was in line with the national agenda to plant 10 million seedlings across the country in commemoration of the 2024 Green Ghana Day (June 7).

Speaking at the site after planting a tree over the weekend, Dr. Pelpuo said the environment holds the very existence of mankind and therefore, should be held in high regard to ensure it continues to sustain both plant and animal life.

He urged that the public should commit to be protective of the environment to ensure that it does not lose its fertility and ability to provide sustenance to mankind.

"The environment is everything. It's where we feed from, it's where we build on, it's where we drink from; therefore, we owe it a duty to protect it," he said.

Dr. Pelpuo who is also the Minority Spokesperson on the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament, commended the Bahass Foundation for always standing up the vulnerable members of the society.

He encouraged the foundation to be motivated by the public good it brings to society, relieving burden from people and preventing "public nuisance."

Dr. Pelpuo pledged to support the Foundation with 100 bags of cement before the end of this year and another 100 bags within the first half of next year.

The construction of the multi-purpose facility is presently at the foundation level and would progress steadily with the support of like-minded and compassionate individuals, organizations, and other corporate bodies.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Bahass Foundation, Mr. Eliasu Yussif Baba, known as Bahass, thanked the MP for the support and show of commitment to the cause of the Foundation.

He appealed to the corporate society to support the Foundation in completing the mental home timely to cater to the rehabilitation and reintegration of these vulnerable members of society.

On the trees, Mr. Bahass said the trees are intended to improve the aesthetic value of the rehabilitation centre and contribute to the environmental greening efforts of the country.

The trees planted at the site included mangoes, coconuts, and other canopy and aesthetic trees.

The tree planting exercise was participated by a team of volunteers of the Bahass Foundation.