The Upper East Regional Minister,\u00a0James Zuugah Tiigah, has pledged the Regional Coordinating Council\u2019s commitment to clamp down on drug peddlers in the region.<\/p>\n
Mr Tiigah said illicit drug peddling and abuse and alcoholism among the productive youth, posed a health hazard to them and a\u00a0threat to the human resource of the nation.<\/p>\n
Government, he said, will therefore leave no stone unturned to fight the menace.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”FOc2oVpdh3ArdS7Lwy04UqWo22K5AORY”]The Regional Minister made the pledge when he addressed parents, school children and the general public, during the celebration of this year\u2019s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Bolgatanga.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that organized crime undermined institutions, fed violence and instability.<\/p>\n
He said the Regional Coordinating Council will team up, especially with the police,\u00a0to arrest those who supply illicit drugs to the youth.<\/p>\n
The event was organized by \u2018Life Out of Alcohol and Drugs\u2019 (LOAD Ghana),\u00a0a non-governmental organization founded by a recovering alcoholic.<\/p>\n
It was also an occasion to launch the organization in the Bolgatanga Municipality.<\/p>\n
The Minister urged the general public not to foil the efforts of LOAD Ghana, but rather help the organization to achieve the purpose for which it was established.<\/p>\n
The Upper East Regional Health Director, Dr Koku Awoonor- Williams in an address, reiterated the dangers of drugs and the alarming rate of student involvement in alcohol and drugs.<\/p>\n
He indicated that most motor accidents occurring in the region and reported to health facilities were related to substance abuse.<\/p>\n
Dr Awoonor- Williams said a study conducted by his outfit on over 100 students in the region identified that out of the number,\u00a017 percent of males and 12 percent females were engaged in drugs or alcohol use.<\/p>\n
He said a mental health report compiled by his outfit in 2014 revealed that out of a total of 3,046 new cases reported, 282 were substance abuse related cases.<\/p>\n
He suggested more programmes to reach out to communities to educate the youth on harmful effects of drugs.<\/p>\n
The Regional Director of Education, Emmanuel Sombo Zumakpeh, who shared some more ideas on the issues, urged students to be gatekeepers of their colleagues in the fight against the menace,\u00a0stressing that student were in a better position to tell the warning signs if a fellow student was engaged in drugs.<\/p>\n
To help the students to abstain from engaging in such behaviour, the Education Director told teachers to build confidentiality and friendship with the students, \u00a0 in order to win their trust so they could easily identify their problems and give counsel.<\/p>\n
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Source: GNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Upper East Regional Minister,\u00a0James Zuugah Tiigah, has pledged the Regional Coordinating Council\u2019s commitment to clamp down on drug peddlers in the region. Mr Tiigah said illicit drug peddling and abuse and alcoholism among the productive youth, posed a health hazard to them and a\u00a0threat to the human resource of the nation. Government, he said, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":65453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[55,17],"yoast_head":"\n