Failure to Prioritize Boys’ Education Fuelling Drug Addiction Among Ghanaian Youth – Kafodzidzi Chief

The Chief of Kafodzidzi in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality in the Central Region, Nana Kwesi Ankomah II, has attributed the increasing rate of drug addiction among Ghanaian youth, particularly boys, to the failure of the country's education advocacy programmes to give equal attention to boys' education.

He said the campaign for girl-child education, which gained prominence in the early 2000s, failed to adequately address the educational needs and welfare of boys, leaving many of them vulnerable to drug abuse and other social vices.

Nana Kwesi Ankomah II made these remarks at the grand durbar of the Kafodzidzi Kotobri Festival, celebrated under the theme, "Unity in Diversity."

He expressed concern that several communities across the country are flooded with ghettos, which he described as centres promoting drug use, including marijuana, cocaine and excessive alcohol consumption.

According to him, young people, particularly boys, constitute a significant number of those who patronize such places, raising concerns about the future of the country's youth.

He therefore appealed to the government to introduce policies that would provide apprenticeship opportunities, skills training and rehabilitative programmes for young people involved in drug abuse instead of relying heavily on arrests and punitive measures.

The Kafodzidzi Chief further disclosed to have led an initiative and purchased a private healthcare facility in the community for the government to operate to improve healthcare delivery.

He also called on residents to embrace unity, stressing that collective efforts and peaceful coexistence remains an essential ingredient for sustainable community development.

Meanwhile, the Paramount Chief of the Komenda Traditional Area, Okatakyi Komeh VIII, appealed to the various traditional authorities to maintain decorum, promote unity among themselves and support the government in achieving its developmental vision for Ghana.

Okatakyi Komeh VIII maintained that the Kafodzidzi Chief has been gazetted in accordance with the relevant chieftaincy laws and advised anyone dissatisfied with the arrangement to seek redress through the courts rather than organizing press conferences to prevent him from celebrating his festival and exercising his jurisdictional privileges.

On sanitation, the Municipal Chief Executive for the KEEA Municipality, Hon. Ismail Zagoon-Saeed, lamented that substantial financial resources which could otherwise be channelled into essential sectors such as education and other development projects are been diverted to address sanitation challenges in KEEA.

The MCE attributed the situation partly to residents' growing disregard for communal labour, which he said has weakened collective efforts towards maintaining clean and healthy communities.

He therefore urged residents to take responsibility for their environment and actively participate in communal sanitation exercises to help address the growing menace.

Sompaonline.com// Francis Thompsom