Stop drug abuse - Paramount Chief of Savelugu warns youth

The Paramount Chief of Savelugu Traditional Area, Yoo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani II, has warned the youth of Ghana against indulging in drug abuse. According to the traditional ruler, the growing phenomenon of substance (drug) abuse, remains the major threat to the promising future of the youth of Ghana. Speaking to the media on the sideline of this year's Damba festival observed at the Savelugu palace on Friday 14th October 2022, the dynamic Chief, known for his thought-provoking messages, pointed out mental health issues, depression, physical destruction among others, as the real dangers associated with drug abuse. Consequently, he called on other traditional rulers in Dagbon, opinion leaders and scholars, to rise up and confront the negative impact of drug abuse in the country. Overall, it is estimated that about 1.2 million Ghanaians have alcohol and drug-related problems. A multitude of factors including high unemployment among the youth, frustration of highly qualified students without access for further education, adverse economic situation in the country, large family size, curiosity and peer influence, sense of loss, interpersonal conflicts, religious-cultural and treatment-based issues work together to initiate substance use and maintain the relapse cycle in Ghana. Following these alarming statistics, the Paramount Chief of Savelugu Traditional Area warned that the issue of drug abuse must be identified as one of the threats facing the development of Ghana and certainly must be tackled holistically. He reminded Chiefs, opinion leaders and parents who form the nucleus of stakeholders required to act decisively, that if all of them fail to recognize this problem and confront it head-on, then the growing phenomenon could escalate and plunge the future of this country into the hands of uncontrollably damaged youth. The objective of the campaign being waged, he underscored, was to envision the future and apply appropriate measures as mitigating factors against the looming danger. "As media practitioners, you have a cogent role to play. You must ensure that Ghanaians in every district and region in the country have access to quality information on substance abuse. "You must factor the campaign against drug abuse into your program line ups and make sure you put out relevant information for people to understand what is happening and what could happen in future. "The campaign against drug abuse should not be limited to government alone, we must all, including the media play our part. He cited an example of how he spotted some of the youth during the heat of the celebration of the Damba festival and they were misbehaving in the crowd without realizing the spotlight was on them. Aside drug abuse, Yoo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani II charged the media to once again join campaign to wage war against youth groups engaged in pre-naming ceremony night entertainment. He revealed that these groups could play loud music very late into the night ahead of naming ceremonies slated for the following day. A negative development, he described as alien to the custom and tradition of the Kingdom and must be nipped in the bud to prevent others from engaging in promiscuity. He said while many of these youth groups were oblivious of the negative impact of these night activities, the practice was inappropriate, unacceptable and could spackle teenage pregnancies in communities. Teenage pregnancies could emerge to stop many school children from attaining promising heights they were actually dreaming of capturing, since premarital sexual encounters could easily be promoted through these late-night dance (bashing). Together, he said stakeholders must identify this issue (substance abuse) as one of the major challenges that must be confronted and defeated.

The Paramount Chief of Savelugu Traditional Area, Yoo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani II, has warned the youth of Ghana against indulging in drug abuse. According to the traditional ruler, the growing phenomenon of substance (drug) abuse, remains the major threat to the promising future of the youth of Ghana. Speaking to the media on the sideline of this year's Damba festival observed at the Savelugu palace on Friday 14th October 2022, the dynamic Chief, known for his thought-provoking messages, pointed out mental health issues, depression, physical destruction among others, as the real dangers associated with drug abuse. Consequently, he called on other traditional rulers in Dagbon, opinion leaders and scholars, to rise up and confront the negative impact of drug abuse in the country. Overall, it is estimated that about 1.2 million Ghanaians have alcohol and drug-related problems. A multitude of factors including high unemployment among the youth, frustration of highly qualified students without access for further education, adverse economic situation in the country, large family size, curiosity and peer influence, sense of loss, interpersonal conflicts, religious-cultural and treatment-based issues work together to initiate substance use and maintain the relapse cycle in Ghana. Following these alarming statistics, the Paramount Chief of Savelugu Traditional Area warned that the issue of drug abuse must be identified as one of the threats facing the development of Ghana and certainly must be tackled holistically. He reminded Chiefs, opinion leaders and parents who form the nucleus of stakeholders required to act decisively, that if all of them fail to recognize this problem and confront it head-on, then the growing phenomenon could escalate and plunge the future of this country into the hands of uncontrollably damaged youth. The objective of the campaign being waged, he underscored, was to envision the future and apply appropriate measures as mitigating factors against the looming danger. "As media practitioners, you have a cogent role to play. You must ensure that Ghanaians in every district and region in the country have access to quality information on substance abuse. "You must factor the campaign against drug abuse into your program line ups and make sure you put out relevant information for people to understand what is happening and what could happen in future. "The campaign against drug abuse should not be limited to government alone, we must all, including the media play our part. He cited an example of how he spotted some of the youth during the heat of the celebration of the Damba festival and they were misbehaving in the crowd without realizing the spotlight was on them. Aside drug abuse, Yoo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani II charged the media to once again join campaign to wage war against youth groups engaged in pre-naming ceremony night entertainment. He revealed that these groups could play loud music very late into the night ahead of naming ceremonies slated for the following day. A negative development, he described as alien to the custom and tradition of the Kingdom and must be nipped in the bud to prevent others from engaging in promiscuity. He said while many of these youth groups were oblivious of the negative impact of these night activities, the practice was inappropriate, unacceptable and could spackle teenage pregnancies in communities. Teenage pregnancies could emerge to stop many school children from attaining promising heights they were actually dreaming of capturing, since premarital sexual encounters could easily be promoted through these late-night dance (bashing). Together, he said stakeholders must identify this issue (substance abuse) as one of the major challenges that must be confronted and defeated.