By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, March 5, GNA – The Youth Network for Societal Transformation, a youth-led NGO, in partnership with the National Youth Authority (NYA), has organised an “Olympic Health Walk” in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
The event aimed to promote healthy lifestyles and intensify advocacy against drug abuse among young people.
The exercise attracted officials from various government institutions, including the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), and the Ghana Armed Forces, alongside other security agencies and members of the public.
Participants, dressed in branded T-shirts, walked briskly through the principal streets of the municipality, accompanied by the sound of a brass band and various music genres blasting from speakers mounted on a truck.
Addressing participants after the walk which concluded with an aerobics session at the Jubilee Park, Mr Osman Ayariga, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NYA, stated that the Authority takes the campaign against drug abuse very seriously.
“We have decided to reach almost every nook and cranny, to advocate for change and educate people about substance abuse.
Beyond the towns and streets, we will soon be entering various universities and Senior High Schools to educate young people,” he said.
Mr Ayariga noted that while previous campaigns were concentrated in Accra, the initiative would be extended to all other regions across the country throughout 2026.
Mr Saeed Abdul Aziz, the Regional Commander of the NACOC, told the youth that their bodies were “the most complex machines ever created” and should not be poisoned with illegal substances.
He emphasised that drug abuse destroyed families, dreams, and futures. “Our mission at NACOC is to see a Ghana where the youth are empowered to say no to drugs, not because they are afraid of the law, but because they are in love with their own potential,” Mr Aziz said.
He commended the NGO and NYA for the initiative, adding, “As we conclude this walk, let it be more than just physical exercise; let it be a commitment of the soul.
“Let us walk away from drugs and toward a brighter, healthier, and more prosperous Upper East Region,” he advised.
Mr Vincent Agambila Adongo, the Regional Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Coordinator of the Ghana Health Service who referenced the 2023 Ghana STEPS report, using the World Health Organization’s stepwise approach, noted that the research identified the Upper East Region as the leading consumer of tobacco in the country.
He explained that tobacco use was a major factor in developing NCDs, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, further indicating that research showed direct relationship between smoking and cancer.
“Substance abuse, particularly smoking and the use of narcotics, predisposes people to hypertension and diabetes, and can even cause road traffic accidents and mental health disorders,” Mr Adongo said.
The event organizer, Mr Christopher Kevin Asima, emphasised the need for residents and stakeholders across the region to join the campaign, specifically highlighting the fight against “Red”, a local term for a specific illicit drug.
“There is a need for all of us to ensure our youth end the use of illicit drugs. The most common one we are fighting now is ‘Red,’ but we know there are others,” Mr Asima, who is also a broadcast journalist with Channel One Television said.
He urged all sectors to support the cause, stating, “We cannot allow the government to do it alone. As youth advocacy groups, we must do our part. We urge civil society and government agencies to support anyone with the energy to embark on such campaigns. Together, we can make the Upper East and Ghana drug-free.”
Mr Peter Naakpi, a 74-year-old retiree who completed the about four-hour walk, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, advised the youth against alcoholism, smoking, and substance abuse.
“I am 74 years old and still strong because I don’t punish my body with these harmful substances,” he said.
He advised the youth to stay away from them if they wanted to live long and healthy lives.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/ Christabel Addo