Ghana: Students Urged to Shun Drugs

David Allan Paintsil

29 June 2011

Cape Coast — The Central Regional Minister, Comfort Ama Benyiwa Doe, has called on students in both the first and second cycle schools to develop a strong mental attitude towards the use of drugs, so as to become responsible citizens for the country.

She said the youth in Japan, Malaysia and China had developed their faculties in the area of science and mathematics, as well as other fields, making their countries highly respected economies in the world.

She challenged the students to stand up to the task by refraining from drug abuse and other practices that have the tendencies to ruin their future careers and contributions to the development of the country.

The Central Regional Minister said this in a speech read on her behalf at the launch of this year’s World Drug Day celebration in Cape Coast on Monday.

Madam Doe advised the students to become drug security conscious, and also preach against the bad influences of drugs in their communities, schools, and wherever they might find themselves.

A Board Member of the National Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Mr. Roger Vanderpuye, who spoke on behalf of the Executive Secretary of NACOB, said NACOB was recruiting qualified personnel to help crack down on drug traffickers.

On his part, Wing Commander Eric Adjei Frimpong, also a Board Member of NACOB, who read a speech on behalf of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, said the drug cartels had targeted West Africa as their transit point, and that $85 billion was being realised in the trade annually.

An exhibition on drugs was shown to the students, who marvelled at how some human beings could go to the extent of risking their lives for monies through drug trafficking.

An excerpt of an essay written by a student revealed that some students hide drugs in their mattresses, while others pretend to be men of God, who at their prayer sessions in bushes indulge in drug abuse.

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