Assembly members cry over 'Wee' abuse in Kenyasi

Assembly members of the Asutifi North District in the Brong Ahafo Region have called on the security agencies, chiefs and opinion leaders of the area to device stringent measures to clamp down on drug pushers operating in the area.

They specifically mentioned Apedweh, Site, Camp, Kenyasi No.1/ Kenyasi No. 2 with Jerico as the headquarters for such illegal activities in the district capital.

The assembly members are of the view that if the activities of the drug peddlers continue unchecked, development of the area will be a mirage and therefore called for it to be halted and prevent its spread to others communities.

These sentiments were made known at the first ordinary meeting of the second session of the sixth assembly held at Kenyasi.

An education Officer of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) in Brong Ahafo, Mr. Eric Odarno addressing the house sympathized with the members and pledged his outfit’s readiness to intervene by organizing sensitization programmes on the dangers of drug abuse in the district to curb the canker.

He said statistics from 2009 to 2012 indicated a steady increase in drug abuse cases from 1945 to 3875 from Ankafu, Pantang, Accra Psychiatric and Valley Rehabilitation Centres.

Mr Odamo explained that the mandate of NACOB was to control and enforce laws on narcotics, educate and prevent the use of narcotic substances and to socially integrate and rehabilitate narcotic addicts to live a normal live.

Drugs use and abuse he observed has become a topical issue and a danger to societal progress, hence the need to roll out a training package to sensitize the youth on the dangers of the narcotics.

He observed that the use of marijuana or “wee” is the major challenge facing his outfit due to its easy availability in the region causing considerable damage to the youth and therefore called on the police to play a major role to halt the drug menace.

ASP Teddy D Brown, Kenyasi Divisional Police Commander in an interview later, said the police have mounted operations and arrested many wee smokers and cocaine dealers.

He therefore appealed to residents to assist the Police with information on activities of suspected drug dealers in their areas.