A Tema based anti-narcotics organization; Creg Afful Foundation (CAF) has charged President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to wage war against the use of narcotic drugs under his administration.
In a statement to congratulate the president-elect, the Executive Director of Creg Afful Foundation Mr. Michael Creg Afful expressed worry about the increasing consumption of Indian hemp among school children in the country.
“As we congratulate you (Nana Akufo-Addo) on your election as the president of the Republic of Ghana, we take this opportunity to also draw your attention to a very disturbing issue on the rise in 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 effect of narcotics drugs,” Mr. Creg Afful stated.
He noted that Ghana was ranked 1st by the United Nations on the 2014 global rankings of countries where Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as India Hemp or marijuana, is largely smoked or used.
However, he said, Ghana dropped to 3rd position in 2015 but indicated that the country remained the number one consumer of Indian hemp in Africa.
“During 2016 International Campaign Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Bolgatanga on June 26, the Upper East Regional Minister Hon. Albert Abongo expressed grave concern when he observed that the use of drugs was highest in the three regions in the north of Ghana stressing that it appeared to be increasing rapidly in the Upper East Region along with alcohol use amongst the youth and women,’ Mr. Creg Afful said.
He said drug menace in the three northern regions was not different in Greater Accra Region particularly in Ashaiman and Tema explaining that some unscrupulous persons were producing toffees and biscuits laced with Indian hemp and selling them to unsuspecting people.
“The havoc that narcotic drugs have caused to the youth of Ghana is visible. We can testify of people we know who have gone insane and are on the streets because of Indian hemp whiles others are in psychiatric hospitals seeking treatment.
We believe the current situation should be of great concern to the incoming administration to tackle the drug menace,” he stressed.
He blamed weak enforcement of the Narcotic Drugs Law 1990 (PNDC Law 236) “which focuses on control, enforcement and sanctions of the use and trade of illicit drugs” as the cause of the rise in the consumption of narcotics drugs.
Mr. Creg Afful called on the incoming Nana Akufo-Administration to resource the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) and the Anti- Narcotics Department at the Ghana Police Service to enable them to execute their mandate effectively and efficiently.
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