By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Nov 30, GNA – Dr Issah Rahama, Executive Director of Active Youth Global, a youth advocacy organisation, has called on the government and other stakeholders to prioritise policies and programmes that will help address the menace of drug abuse and its impact on young people.
She said drug abuse was gradually becoming a threat to the growth and development of the youth, especially in the Northern Region, hence need for various stakeholders to put in place measures to nip it in the bud.
Dr Issah made the call at an event in Tamale to mark this year’s youth forum.
The forum was organised by Active Youth Global in partnership with the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Authority (NYA), and Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH) and sponsored by Plan International.
It was on the theme: “Securing the Future of Northern Ghana: A Critical Look at Drug Abuse”, and brought together some selected Senior High School students in the region, youth advocacy groups, civil society organisations among other stakeholders.
Dr Issah emphasised that the theme was in line with its project, dubbed, “Youth Against Drugs (YAD), launched earlier this year, which sought to tackle drug abuse among the youth.
Mr Justice Issifu Amadu, Presiding Judge at the Tamale Magistrate Court, who was a guest at the event, expressed need for the implementation of initiatives that would help rescue the youth from engaging in illicit drugs use.
Mr Peter Amadu Mintir, Executive Director of Total Life Enhancement Centre (TOLEC-GH), a psychology focused organisation advocating mental health and providing psychological services in the region, called for a collaborative effort towards awareness creation on the dangers associated with abuse of drugs.
GNA