Politics

Cured mental patients must vote – group

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Article 42 of Ghana’s constitution gives the right to vote in elections to people of 18 years or above. It however limits this right to those of sound mind only. But the Mental Health Society wants the voting right to be extended to inmates of mental hospitals in the 2012 general elections. This call was first made by the society following a meeting with the Electoral Commission, the Chief Psychiatrist of the Accra Psychiatrist Hospital and other stakeholders earlier in the year. The issue came up again when EC boss Dr. Afari Gyan at a recent forum said the inmates could only vote after they have been certified by a psychiatrist. Executive Secretary of the Mental Health Society of Ghana, Humphrey Coffie explains that not all inmates of mental institutions are unfit to vote. Head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Akwasi Osei who supported the call said preventing cured patients at the mental hospitals from voting is a violation of their fundamental human rights. Play the attached audio for their submissions

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.