'Empower institutions to fight substance abuse' – LOAD Ghana

The Life of Alcohol and Drugs Ghana (LOAD-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called on government and implementing institutions to enforce and regulate the sale of drugs and alcohol in the country.

It said defaulters of the laws should be prosecuted irrespective of their social standing and influence.

Mr Roger Abaa Atambire, the Executive Director of LOAD-Ghana, who made the call through the Ghana News Agency (GNA)indicated that enforcement of such laws would go a long way to minimise the incidences of substance abuse, especially drugs and alcohol.

Mr Atambire, who is also the founder of LOAD-Ghana, observed that there was an incessant increase in drug and alcohol abuse especially among the youth and said such lifestyles were affecting lives of the youth negatively, which was detrimental to the development of the country.

He attributed the phenomenon to the lack of education and said there was the need to adopt stringent enforcement measures to govern the operations of drugs and alcohol dealers.

The Executive Director explained that intensive education from all stakeholders would enlighten people especially the youth on the negative effects of substance abuse to make them to dislike towards the practice.

He noted that when institutions like the FDA and GSA were given the necessary legal backing to punish offenders who unscrupulously sold drugs to underage children, it would contribute to eradicate the canker from society.

Mr Atambire who said LOAD-Ghana had over the years carried out educational campaigns to schools to sensitise pupils and students on the menace of drugs and alcohol abuse, disclosed that his outfit was constructing a rehabilitation centre at Sumbrungu in the Bolgatanga Municipality to help reform people with mental problems through drugs.

He, therefore, called on government and other stakeholders to support the work of LOAD-Ghana to collectively end the canker to promote sustainable development.

LOAD-Ghana, operating in the Upper East Region, works towards achieving a drug-free society to enable all people to realise their God-given talents, potentials and purpose in life and contribute meaningfully towards the development of Ghana and the world at large.