Addy urges media to help fight drugs

Professor Patrick Addy, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, on Tuesday urged the news media to play a leading role in educating the public about drug abuse.

He said the drug problem is an international one and the press should assist the Narcotics Control Board to fight it. Prof. Addy was speaking at the launch of "The African anti-drug program" (AADP) which involves the 16 ECOWAS countries developing their own drug prevention campaign strategies in consonance with their drug control policies.

The AADP has suggested the use of colts soccer competitions, dubbed the "African Cup for Youth against drugs", to mobilize the largest possible number of African Youths to be lectured about drug abuse.

Prof. Addy said he envisages that this year teams from eight countries including Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Cote d'Ivoire would each select a national colt team to take part in the competition. The membership of the team should be youth born in between 1984 and 1985. Proceeds from these matches would be used to assist participating countries to wage war against the misuse and abuse of drugs and drug trafficking.