The Executive Director of Creg Afful Foundation (CAF), a Tema-based anti-narcotics organisation, is advocating for the establishment of a national fund to campaign against drug abuse.
Mr. Michael Creg Afful explained that the establishment of such a fund would enable individuals and corporate bodies to contribute their widows mite into the fund to help in fighting drug menace in the country.
He added that the fund would be a channel to mobilize resources to support the fight against drug abuse.
Monies from the fund, he stated should be used to embark on intensive education in primaries, junior high and senior high schools.
Mr Afful made the call in a statement he issued Monday, on the occasion of the International Campaign Day against Drug Abuse which was on the theme: “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe.”
The United Nations Office on Drug Abuse Control (UNODC) has set aside every June 26 as the international campaign Day against drug Abuse.
“We believe the fund if established will be a great feat for this country because state agencies such as NACOB and Drug Enforcement Unit within the Ghana Police Service as well as civil society groups can source funding from the National Fund for Campaign Against Drug Abuse for their programmes. As we speak, there is nothing like that so we are not able to embark on programmes to educate the youth about the dangers of narcotics especially substance abuse,” he stated.
Mr Afful who is also an evangelist with Tema Community 12 branch of ICGC noted that Narcotics Control Board which is the state agency mandated to lead the fight and control of narcotics is faced with financial constraints and this, he stated has impeded its effort to exercise their mandate effectively and efficiently.
He expressed worry about the latest UN report which ranks Ghana as the 3rd country in Africa, where marijuana is smoked the most.
He stated that the increasing consumption of Indian hemp, in particular, among school children across the country, should be of concern for all state actors and asked that immediate steps be taken to halt the disturbing situation.
In the 2014 Ghana was ranked 1st by the United Nations global rankings of countries, where Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as India Hemp or
marijuana, was largely smoked or used.
Although, Ghana dropped to the 3rd position in 2015, he stated, that the 2016 UN report indicated that Ghana remained the number one consumer of Indian hemp in Africa.”
He called on president Nana Akufo-Addo to prioritize the fight against narcotics by resourcing NACOB and Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Police Service to undertake sensitization programmes to alter the perception of the youth about drug abuse.
“As we mark this year’s International Campaign Day against Drug Abuse, we take this opportunity to draw your attention to a very disturbing issue on the rise, that is the consumption of Indian hemp among school children, and urge your administration to take urgent steps to curtail it to save the future leaders of Ghana from the devastating effects of narcotics drugs,” Mr. Creg Afful stated.
