The Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has suggested that the growing menace of drug abuse among the youth is becoming a bigger national threat than galamsey.
He described the development as a national crisis, stressing that more resources are needed to tackle it holistically.
His comments come after the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, disclosed that over 100,000 applicants underwent medical examinations as part of the recruitment process into the security services.
According to him, the medical screening process was expanded beyond the usual physical and laboratory checks to include drug testing and mental health assessments, given increasing concerns about personnel wellbeing within the security services.
He explained that more than 4,000 applicants failed the drug tests, while about 2,000 others were disqualified on mental health grounds.
Commenting on the matter on Adom TV’s The Big Agenda, Mr Opare Addo said his outfit is working closely with the Interior Ministry and is aware of the situation.
He noted that he was not surprised by the high number of applicants who failed the drug tests, adding that his office has been actively working on the issue and the results remain concerning.
He further stated that copies of findings from his office’s work on drug abuse among the youth have been shared with the Minister of Education, the Interior Minister, and other relevant agencies for consideration and action.
The Minister explained that following the identification of rising drug abuse trends, his office has been running sustained public campaigns under the theme “Red Means Stop,” aimed at addressing the growing opioid crisis among young people.
Mr Opare Addo added that while it is commendable that the nation has united to fight galamsey, equal attention should be given to tackling drug abuse among the youth.
He noted that although some institutions have failed in the fight against drug abuse, they cannot be solely blamed for the growing problem, as it is a shared responsibility.
According to him, parents also have a critical role to play in monitoring their children’s wellbeing, including what they consume and their general behaviour.
He stressed that stronger parental oversight could help reduce cases of drug abuse among young people.
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