Substance abuse is becoming rampant among the youth
Eric Benson Gyan Ansah, Northern Regional Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), has called on the youth to avoid using drugs and live healthy lives.
Mr Ansah said this over the weekend during a health walk dubbed: “Youth Stay Healthy Walk”, as part of the National Youth Week celebration held in Tamale.
The event was on the theme: “Ghana beyond Aid; The Youth Factor”, and sought to derive and drive maximum output from the youth in all sectors of the economy, while highlighting positive efforts being made by the Authority to facilitate youth development.
The health walk was for the youth to recognize the benefits of public health issues that are crucial to living healthy lives.
The event brought together about 1000 young people from various parts of the Northern Region.
The Youth Director advised parents to protect their children from the use of drugs and alcohol.
Mr Rayan Iddi Yussif, the Northern Regional Coordinator of Activist Ghana, appealed to the youth to help promote peace in the country at all times.
He said the youth should be used as peace ambassadors to help sustain the peace in the country, adding that they should resist any attempt by individuals or groups seeking their parochial interests to misuse them to steer disunity and chaos.
He urged government to train the youth on peace building skills as this would motivate them to become social change agents.
“As new social change agents, they can support democracy and their communities instead of being manipulated by politicians to carry out destructive acts”, Mr Yussif said.
He called on the youth in the region to participate in the special prayer service on Sunday in all churches across the region to thank God for a peaceful celebration.
He said as part of the celebration, the youth would present gifts to needy and vulnerable groups in the region.
