Damongo: The Damongo Youth Hub, in collaboration with the Empowerment for Life (E4L) Programme, has engaged stakeholders in the West Gonja Municipality to strengthen efforts in curbing the sale and use of illicit drugs, particularly in the Damongo township.
According to Ghana News Agency, the event, held in Damongo in the Savannah Region, aimed to foster collaboration and collective action to address the impact of drug misuse and abuse, especially among the youth. The stakeholders included officials from security agencies, religious leaders, traditional authorities, parents, educationists, health workers, representatives from the Narcotics Control Commission, as well as the youth and media representatives.
Mr. Abdulai Kudus, a member of the Damongo Youth Hub, addressed the gathering, expressing concern over the rising use of illicit drugs in the municipality. He emphasized the impact of drug abuse, noting that the increased availability and misuse of substances among young people threaten their health, education, future, and the peace of the community. He stressed the importance of collective action to prevent losing a generation to addiction, crime, and hopelessness. He called on participants to enhance education and awareness, promote moral and family values, support rehabilitation efforts, and create opportunities that would positively engage the youth.
Mr. Abdulai Salam, Savannah Regional Coordinator of the E4L Programme, shared that a roadmap has been developed to tackle the issue of illicit drug use in the municipality. He expressed optimism that the engagement would yield practical recommendations, sustainable solutions, and strong partnerships to curb drug misuse and abuse, thereby restoring hope to residents in the area.
The E4L Programme aims to ensure that civil society organizations in northern Ghana contribute to improved resilience, equity, and more accountable governance. It is being implemented in the Northern, North East, and Savannah Regions by four local partners: Ghana Developing Communities Association, School for Life, YEFL-Ghana, and Changing Lives in Innovative Partnerships, with funding support from Civil Society in Development, a Danish organization, through Ghana Venskab.