Quick answer: No. Attempted suicide is no longer a crime in Ghana. Parliament voted on 28 March 2023 to amend Section 57 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, through the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1092). People who attempt suicide are now treated as needing health care, not prosecution. In October 2024, the Chief Justice directed courts to stop prosecuting such cases. The next step is Ghana's first national suicide prevention strategy, which GASP is helping to develop.
From colonial law to health care
For more than six decades, Ghana's Criminal Offences Act of 1960 made attempted suicide a misdemeanour. The law was inherited from British colonial rule, long after Britain itself had dropped it. Before the change, Ghana was among about 20 countries that still punished people for attempting suicide (Africa Legal).
The law had a terrible side effect. Families hid suicide attempts instead of seeking treatment, for fear of arrest. Bernard Ahiafor, MP for Akatsi South and a sponsor of the reform, said the criminal status made relatives afraid to report attempts and seek medical care (Ghanaian Times).
Key dates
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | Chief Justice directs judges and magistrates that attempted suicide is decriminalised under Act 1092 (Starr FM) |
| Mid-2023 | President assents to the amendment (GNA) |
| 28 Mar 2023 | Parliament votes to decriminalise attempted suicide (Citi Newsroom) |
| Oct 2022 | GASP formally launched |
| 2021 | Private Member's Bill to amend the law is introduced |
| Mar 2017 | GASP formed after a national stakeholders' forum at the University of Ghana |
| 1960 | Criminal Offences Act (Act 29) makes attempted suicide a misdemeanour |
GASP's role
GASP President Prof. Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie has described how the association began. In 2017, Ghanaian media were reporting suicides of young, school-going people almost weekly. The University of Ghana's self-harm and suicide prevention research group convened Ghana's first stakeholders' forum, bringing together experts, survivors and families bereaved by suicide.
That forum produced three outcomes: a petition to Parliament to review the law, a task force on suicide data, and GASP itself. GASP was formed in March 2017, registered later that year and formally launched in October 2022.
Prof. Quarshie said nearly all the Ghanaian research evidence behind the repeal came from GASP. The association worked with other groups to submit two petitions to Parliament and worked closely with the MPs who championed the Private Member's Bill, including Bernard Ahiafor and Francis-Xavier Sosu.
What the change means for you
- You cannot be prosecuted for attempting suicide in Ghana.
- Families can bring loved ones to hospital without fear of arrest.
- Health workers should provide care, not report patients to the police.
- Help is available: 0800 678 678 (free) or 112 in an emergency.
Why the law is not enough
"When we repeal the law, what that means is that we have come to ground zero," Prof. Quarshie said. "Now the field is cleared, but which way do we go?"
The numbers show why action is urgent. Ghana's Mental Health Authority recorded 175 suicide deaths in the first half of 2025, up from 134 in the same period of 2024 (Ghanaian Times). Recorded suicide attempts rose from 777 in 2020 to 902 in 2021 (Citi Newsroom). Experts, including Prof. Quarshie, warn these official numbers are a gross underestimate (GNA, 2024).
In 2024, psychiatrist Prof. Akwasi Osei noted that some courts had still convicted people after the law changed, and called for training health workers to recognise warning signs early (GNA, 2024).
What comes next: a national strategy
GASP is now leading work with key stakeholders to develop Ghana's national suicide prevention strategy. Drafts exist, and stakeholder consultations are planned. On World Suicide Prevention Day 2026, Ghana's Mental Health Authority, WHO, the Ghana Health Service and GASP also released a situational analysis of the evidence and data available for suicide prevention, under the theme "Changing the Narrative on Suicide" (WHO, 2026).
GASP has also revised its membership process. Anyone can join; visit ghanasp.org or follow @gasp_official.
Frequently asked questions
Is attempted suicide still a crime in Ghana? No. It was decriminalised by the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1092).
When did Ghana decriminalise attempted suicide? Parliament voted on 28 March 2023, and the President assented later in 2023.
What happens now if someone attempts suicide in Ghana? They should receive medical and psychological care. They cannot be prosecuted.
Does Ghana have a national suicide prevention strategy? One is being developed, led by GASP with key stakeholders and partners.
Sources: GASP webinar, 2026 · Citi Newsroom: Parliament votes, March 2023 · Starr FM: Chief Justice circular (2024) · GNA: Prof. Osei on decriminalisation (2024) · Ghanaian Times: MP urges assent · Africa Legal · Ghanaian Times: 175 suicides in H1 2025 · GNA: Ghana's lack of suicide data (2024) · WHO feature (2026)
