Akuapim South NCCE Tackles Substance Abuse Among Youth through Stakeholder Engagement

To address the growing menace of substance abuse among the youth of the Akuapim South Municipality, the office of the Commission in the area, with support from the Member of Parliament for the Akuapim South Constituency, Hon. Lawrencia Adwoa Dziwornu, has convened a stakeholder meeting, assembling a broad cross‑section of community actors, including clergy, traditional leaders, associations, students, opinion leaders, health professionals, and young people from various communities.

In his welcome address, the Akuapim South Municipal Director of the NCCE, Mr. Osman Seidu, expressed deep concern over the rising trend of drug use among young people. Citing data from the Narcotics Control Commission, he revealed that out of an estimated 50,000 drug users in Ghana, 35,000 are students between the ages of 12 and 35, spanning junior high, senior high, and tertiary institutions. Out of the remaining 15,000 users recorded, 9,000 are males, and 6,000 are females.

Mr. Seidu further noted that the Greater Accra Region records the highest prevalence of substance abuse among the country’s sixteen administrative regions, describing the situation as alarming and calling for coordinated, deliberate action from all stakeholders to curb the health threat.

A Mental Health Officer with the Akuapim South Municipal Health Directorate, Mrs. Judith Kokui Azumah, highlighted the financial burden associated with treating drug-related mental health conditions. She explained that rehabilitation services are not captured under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), making treatment costly for affected families. She therefore urged young people to avoid drug abuse outright.

Mrs. Azumah also recommended that drug abuse education be integrated into the national school curriculum to equip pupils with early knowledge of the dangers associated with substance misuse. She appealed to community members to show compassion and support to individuals battling addiction, rather than stigmatizing them.

The Presiding Minister of the Church of Pentecost at Kitase, Pastor Benjamin Kwakye, commended the NCCE for initiating the engagement. He encouraged the Commission to strengthen collaboration with other relevant agencies to intensify the campaign against drug abuse.