Porters warned against the damaging effects of hard drugs.

Ho, Feb 28, GNA - Madam Benedicta Seshie, a senior community health nurse has advised porters and truck pushers to desist from using hard drugs.

She said rather than thinking it would make them strong, as wrongly presumed, such drugs tended to interfere with the proper functioning of their brains leading to abnormal behaviour. Madam Seshie gave the advice at a one-day workshop organised by the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in collaboration with the Ghana National Commission on Children for truck pushers and porters in the Ho central market at the weekend. The workshop which was on the theme: 'Streetism and child labour: the effects on the child, family, community and the economy' was to sensitise them on the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Domestic Violence Bill, the Criminal and Children's Acts. The Ho Municipal Assembly provided logistics for the workshop. Madam Seshie said apart from the brain, hard drugs interrupted with the normal functions of the heart, kidney, lungs and the pancreas. She appealed to them, most of whom were boys, to do away with alcoholism and all vices that tended to affect their health in the future.

Mr. Raymond Buamah, an official of the Ho Municipal Health Insurance Scheme asked them to register with the Scheme to enable them access free medical care.

"Though you are healthy and strong today, sickness and disaster can strike any time and because of the hazardous nature of your work it is good you register with the scheme," he said. Mr. Buamah in an answer to a question said those who could not pay the 72,000 cedis premium at once, could do so in instalments. Assistant Superintendent of Police Rita Narh, Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) said the Domestic Violence Bill would help minimise the abuse of children.

She said the Bill was to protect women, children and husbands rather than promote rebellion against husbands and fathers by their wives and children.

Mr. Edwin Gamadeku, Regional Director of the Department of Children appealed to the porters and truck pushers to form an association and take future workshops seriously.