By Christine Naadu Lartey, GNA
Tema, Sept. 11, GNA – Stakeholders from government agencies, security services and civil society organisations have intensified public education campaigns to prevent substance abuse among school-age children.
Miss Akosua Bempomaa, Head of Corporate Communications at Daylight Events, said substance abuse had extended beyond urban ghettos into primary and secondary schools, requiring stronger community-level interventions to protect young people.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the launch of activities for World Heart Day, she said the campaign, organised in partnership with the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education, Narcotics Control Board and Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, sought to mobilise communities to safeguard youth development.
Miss Bempomaa said while security agencies and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) continued efforts to prevent illicit substances from entering the country, civil society organisations also had an important role to play in grassroots education and prevention.
She outlined several activities under the campaign, including an awareness march, a community fitness session and a national conference.
Major Kevin Bonsu, a Clinical Psychologist at 1 Garrison representing the Eastern Naval Command, identified peer pressure, social media influence and weak parental supervision as some of the factors that could push students into experimenting with drugs.
Major Bonsu said substance use disorder was a recognised medical condition that affected brain function and therefore required professional clinical intervention rather than relying solely on non-medical approaches.
He expressed concern about the shortage of public rehabilitation facilities, saying existing state facilities at Pantang, Ankaful and the Accra Psychiatric Hospital were inadequate to meet the rehabilitation needs of the country’s population.
He appealed to the government to establish additional rehabilitation centres and urged parents and caregivers to provide sustained support to persons undergoing recovery to help prevent relapse.
Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, Community Two Police Commander, cautioned students about the health risks associated with illicit substances, including tramadol, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
He said such substances could cause organ damage and cognitive impairment and urged students to resist peer pressure and report drug-related activities to the appropriate authorities.
He assured the public that the police remained committed to enforcing laws relating to the possession, trafficking, cultivation and distribution of illicit drugs.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Kenneth Odeng Adade