Filed by: Dorlintey Dari Moses
The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, has called on all stakeholders to put all hands on desk to help nib in the bud the growing menace of drug abuse.
According to the Minister, the Regional Coordinating Council’s (RCC) Task Force on Drug Abuse is working closely with security agencies, health institutions, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations to address the problem.
He, however, stressed that the fight against drug abuse cannot be won by government alone. There should be active involvement of all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, sports administrators, community leaders, and the youth themselves, he stated.
He made these remarks in a statement read on his behalf by Assistant Director at the RCC, Mr. Alhassan Tonsuglo, during the recent Football Gala organised by Assemblyman for the Sanuori Electoral Area.
Touching on the role of sports in development, the Minister described sports as a powerful tool for promoting unity and peaceful coexistence, noting that it brings together people of diverse backgrounds, opinions, and affiliations for a common purpose.
He commended the people of Sanuori EA and the Wa West District in general, particularly the youth, for using sports as a platform to foster togetherness and community harmony.
Speaking on the ongoing Gun Amnesty program being implemented by the Interior Ministry, Mr. Lwanga Puozuing encouraged individuals in possession of unauthorised weapons to voluntarily surrender them.
On their part, the Wa West District Police Command reiterated the call for collaborative efforts in combating the high rate of drug abuse in the district.
The FPU Supervisor for the Wa West District, Inspector Anass Tolha, expressed concern over what he described as the alarming rise in drug abuse, calling it a canker threatening the social fabric of communities.
Inspector Tolha noted that drug abuse has contributed significantly to the rise in religious, tribal, and community violence, as well as increased school dropout rates among the youth. He therefore called on security agencies, religious bodies, parents, and young people to join forces in fighting the menace.
Inspector Anass Tolha emphasized that the fight against drug abuse must begin at home. There was a time when parents collectively disciplined children who misbehaved within the community, a practice, he said, has largely disappeared.
The District Police Command believes a united community approach is a better way that can help curb the growing menace of drug abuse in the district. In this regard, the FPU Supervisor stressed that without unity and shared responsibility among community members, the fight against drug abuse cannot be won.
