Koforidua: Nana Yaw Nkrumah, a member of the Duayaw-Nkwanta Traditional Council in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, has called for collective efforts to tackle substance abuse and peddling among the youth in the area.
According to Ghana News Agency, Nana Nkrumah, the Caretaker of the Bredi Stool Land, expressed concern about the rising number of young individuals becoming drug addicts, particularly around the abuse of tramadol and alcohol.
Nana Nkrumah attributed the escalating issue to social media and peer influences, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention. He highlighted the traditional council's initiative in engaging stakeholders and advocating for comprehensive public education on the risks of substance abuse, targeting schools, churches, and public gatherings.
He urged families to play a pivotal role in shaping their children's futures and called on local security services to intensify patrols to curb the activities of drug peddlers. In response, Miss Gifty Brany, a nurse in charge of the Mental Health Unit at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, confirmed that many mental health cases reported were linked to substance abuse and alcoholism.
Miss Brany emphasized the need for authorities to address the situation effectively and urged security agencies to identify and dismantle illicit drug peddling operations in the Sunyani Municipality.
