Consultant psychiatrist and chief executive officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr Eugene Dordoye, has emphasised the critical role of mental health in boosting productivity and driving national development.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on March 19, Dr Dordoye highlighted that mental healthcare in Ghana continues to suffer from limited attention within the broader health system.

“When we come to mental health in Ghana, the biggest challenge we have is that health, in general, is considered a deprived discipline, meaning it is an area where the country gives less attention and focus,” he said.

Dr Dordoye noted that while there are programmes designed to attract more professionals into the mental health sector, these measures remain insufficient.

“Currently, we have programmes to motivate more professionals into mental health, but we need a lot more to bring it to par with the level of development we have,” he explained.

He emphasised that mental health should not be narrowly defined as the absence of mental illness, but rather as the ability of individuals and society to recognise and harness their potential.

“What we have not realised as a country is that the definition of mental health requires you to be able to know your potential and what you can contribute to society,” he said.

Dr Dordoye argued that human intellect, rather than natural resources, is the primary driver of wealth and national prosperity.

“If you look at any rich country, any developed country, nobody develops because of natural resources. They develop because of their minds. Wealth is created by the brains, by the minds,” he stated.

He added that Ghana continues to rely heavily on natural resources instead of maximising human capital.

“As a country, we still depend largely on our natural resources, not on human resources. If you consider Ghana as a patient, we would say we have poor mental health as a country because we make less use of our brains and our human resources,” he said.

To illustrate his point, Dr Dordoye cited Japan as an example of a nation that transforms imported raw materials into high-value products through innovation.

He also highlighted Ghana’s cocoa sector as an area with untapped potential, stressing that a stronger focus on mental well-being and the effective use of human capital could drive greater value addition. He noted that although about 50 percent of the country’s cocoa is currently processed, there is room to increase this to as much as 80 percent.

According to him, improving how people think, innovate, and apply their skills would enable the country to move beyond exporting raw materials and instead process cocoa into higher-value products such as chocolates and beverages, thereby creating more jobs and boosting economic growth.

Dr Dordoye reiterated that mental health encompasses a nation’s capacity to harness the potential of its people.

“When we talk about mental health, most people think of mental illness, but it is not about that. We are talking about mental health. As a people, we should realise our potential—what the youth are capable of doing, what we can do with our natural resources, and whether we process them or export them in their raw state,” he said.

He added that nations that fully utilise their human capital tend to be more prosperous.

"Mentally healthy nations are rich nations. Wealth is never derived from natural resources alone,” he said

He concluded that prioritising mental health would significantly enhance productivity in Ghana.

“So, as a country, if we pay attention to our mental health, what we will see is increased productivity. If we invest in our mental health, we will increase our productivity. Many rich countries have shown that they became wealthy because they used their minds, not their resources,” he stated.