Solomon Gumah
Tamale, July 10, GNA – Mr Peter Amadu Mintir, Executive Director of TOLEC- GH, has appealed to government and non-governmental organisations to provide a rehabilitation centre in the area to help address their psychosocial needs.
Speaking to the GNA in Tamale, Mr Mintir said it was important to provide a rehabilitation centre in the area to ensure that some of the victims were not recruited into violent extremist activities, which had the potential to disrupt the peace and security of the country.
He said the absence of a rehabilitation centre in the area was adversely affecting people suffering substance abuse and retarding their recovery as well as denying them employment and other business opportunities.
He indicated that a rehabilitation centre would help provide both therapy and psychosocial support to the victims to stabilise them for employment and other business opportunity.
A survey conducted in 2021 by Total Life Enhancement Centre (TOLEC – GH), a psychology focused organisation, in partnership with NGOs on Drug Abuse under its Tamale Ghettos Project revealed that there were about 200 Ghettos operating in the Tamale Metropolis.
The survey showed that each of the ghettos had at least 200 members, and most of these ghettos were inhabited by victims of substance abuse.
Meanwhile, reports from the Food and Drug Authority’s 2017 post market surveillance suggested scattered abuse of Tramadol by the youth, especially in the Northern Region.
Currently, there is the emergence of Shisha amongst other substances abused by the youth, which experts said posed serious threat to their health and general well-being.
The GNA interviewed the Leader of the Lamanshegu Dam Ghetto in Tamale, who pleaded anonymity and said although most of them had acquired skills, they found it difficult to access any business or employment opportunity.
He said most of the drugs users had lost their jobs and businesses, because of the severity of their addiction, which affected their concentration and productivity.
The Leader said a software engineer addicted to drugs was recently laid off his job because he was ineffective and always absent from his post.
GNA