Assembly to initiate measures to deal with drug peddlers

Nkoranza South District Assembly is to initiate pragmatic measures to deal with drug peddlers in the area whose activities had resulted in a number of the youth becoming drug addicts.
Mr George Ampienti, Chairman of the Justice and Security sub-committee of the Assembly disclosed this at a meeting on Monday during which committee members discussed ways to check criminal activities.
Mr Ampienti, also the Assembly Member for Bonsu/Koforidua electoral area, expressed regret that the smoking of “wee” or Indian hemp had become a common practice among some of the youth, especially the unemployed.
“What is even more surprising is how some girls and school children have also joined in such negative practice, which had become prevalent in all the communities”, he said.
Mr Ampienti said if the necessary steps were not taken to check the problem, most of the youth would become liabilities and criminals.
He called on his colleague Assembly Members to liaise with unit committees and identify the drug peddlers for their arrest.
He said the drug addicts and “wee” smokers were reported to be stealing foodstuffs, sheep, goats and fowls from people's farms.
Mr Ampienti advised parents to visit the schools during class hours to find out whether their children were in school adding that some of the children used classes hours to smoke “wee” with the hardened smokers.
He urged members of school management committees to pay frequent visits to schools to interact with teachers to know their problems and help address them.
Mr Ampienti called on the police to deal drastically with drug peddlers as well as “wee” smokers to save the district from destruction.