New bakpa: Togbe Kwabla Sakpiti V, Chief of New Bakpa, has appealed to the youth, especially in the Central, South, and North Tongu Districts, to desist from drug abuse and commit themselves to productive ventures that would contribute to national development.
According to Ghana News Agency, Togbe Sakpiti expressed concern about the increasing use of opioids, 'red red,' glue, and other harmful substances, warning that such practices undermine the health, potential, and leadership prospects of young people who represent the country's future. He recounted how he supported the youth in North Tongu who were engaged in drugs to reform and acquire employable skills, noting that some have since become welders, architects, drivers, and farmers, and are now contributing meaningfully to their communities.
'I want to see the youth of Tongu to take advantage of opportunities around them rather than waste their lives on drugs. We need them strong, disciplined, and focused to lead this country tomorrow,' he stated. He urged parents, teachers, religious leaders, and opinion leaders to intensify education on the dangers of drug abuse, while calling on government agencies and civil society organisations to provide rehabilitation and support services for affected youth.
Togbe Sakpiti further encouraged young people to embrace skills training, agribusiness, and formal education as avenues to economic empowerment, stressing that the development of the community depended on the choices of its youth. Reports from the Narcotics Control Commission indicate that substance abuse among Ghanaian youth, particularly the misuse of tramadol, cannabis, and other illicit drugs, remains a growing national concern, with consequences including school dropouts, unemployment, and crime. The Commission has intensified sensitisation campaigns in response.
