FDA supports the 'GDD Say No To Drugs' campaign

The Food and Drugs Authority has thrown its weight behind the GDD Say No to Drugs campaign which is currently ongoing in the Ashanti Region. It has assured the GDD campaign team of its readiness to support the campaign and further offer technical assistance.

The Authority has already supported the GDD Say No to Drugs campaign with educational materials such as flyers, posters, stickers etc which educates people on the dangers of drug abuse among young people.

The CEO of the Food and Drugs Authority, Madam Delese Mimi Darko commended the campaign and what it seeks to achieve in the fight against the drug abuse menace. She also lauded the efforts of the Final Point Foundation which is the brain behind the campaign. The Head of Communications, Mr. James Lartey reiterated FDA’s readiness to work with the GDD campaign to enable young people, especially students, to have first hand information on the dangers of drug abuse and also be able to make informed choices. He applauded the relentless efforts being exhibited to see to the realization of a drug free society.

The GDD Say No to Drugs is a drug abuse awareness campaign for schools in the primary, junior high and second cycle schools across the country. The aim is to educate and demotivate young people on the dangers of drug abuse which has been on the ascendancy and encouraging them to take responsibility for their lives and make informed choices.

The campaign is currently running in the Garden City of Kumasi, Ashanti Region. It begun on the 17th June and would end on 25th July 2019. The maiden edition was undertaken in the Greater Accra Region visiting a number of schools. It also partnered the Islamic Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service to carry out the campaign. So far, 23 schools have been visited with 17 left to visit. Two (2) community engagements were also held to sensitize the general public. A courtesy call was also made to the Chief of Kumasi Zango, Maymartaba Sarki Alhaji Umar Fuad Sultan to brief him on the purpose and goal of the campaign.

At the Palace of the Sarkin Zango "

During the course of the campaign, three thousand (3000) stickers of the drug abuse was shared, fifty (50) motivational books were given out with twenty (20) packs of biscuits and sweets also shared. Furthermore, twenty (20) boxes of educational materials namely “THE TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS” was donated to the various school heads that the team visited. The educational materials on “THE TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS” were donated to the team by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World based in Los Angeles, USA.

The Headteacher of Nasiriya Islamic Basic School in Kumasi, Mr. Peter Okyere lauded the campaign and said “The programme or education on drug abuse was excellently presented by the team and the pupils participated very well. We need more of the programme in order to always remind the pupils of the negative effects of drugs.”

The GDD is undertaking this campaign in partnership with the Community Redemption Foundation (CRF), an NGO based in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.

The Final Point Foundation believes that to create drug-free communities, the greater responsibility lies with everyone. It takes everyone to build a future we want to see.

The team solicits for support both in cash or kind to enable it to undertake this initiative and reach a wider audience. Any financial assistance could be channel through the Mobile Money number of the Final Point Foundation 0247639575.

It could also be reached through its social media channel, http://web.facebook.com/foundation2000/