Prestea Huni Valley leaders unite against youth drug abuse

Leaders in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality have declared a united front against drug and substance abuse, warning that the future of the community will go down the drain if the youth crisis is not tackled urgently.

The MP for Prestea Huni Valley, Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education [NCCE], organised a community durbar at the Prestea Roman Catholic Parish Hall under the theme “Breaking the Chains of Substance Abuse.”

The event brought together traditional leaders, government officials, students, health workers, religious leaders, youth groups and residents to confront what speakers described as a growing addiction problem among young people in the municipality.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Matthew Ayeh, set the tone for the gathering. He said substance abuse can no longer be treated as an individual problem. “One person cannot break this chain of substance abuse,” he told the crowd. “The future of our community and nation will go down the drain if we do not tackle this menace.”

Mr Ayeh announced that the Municipal Security Council will soon begin targeted operations in known "ghettos" across the various communities.

He also debunked the myth that drugs boost brain power. “Drugs are no means of improving one’s brain. Having enough rest and relaxing properly is the only way to keep the brain going,” he said.

He further urged parents to be more approachable so their children can open up to them.

In his address, the MP, Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, called on teachers and parents to be intentional about drug prevention education. He made a special appeal for the boy child. He added, “We must consciously guide the boy child the same way we guide the girl child, to avoid him ending up as an addict.”

He charged participants to become "ambassadors" in the fight and appealed to local radio stations to dedicate airtime to professional educators to sensitise the public.

The MP also broadened the definition of abuse, cautioning that it “does not only include narcotics; it also includes abusing normal medication, whether prescribed or not.”

Chairman for the occasion, Nana Nteboah Prah IV, Divisional Chief of Himan Prestea, commended the MP for the initiative and urged residents to let the messages guide their lifestyles.

Closing the durbar, Very Rev. Christopher Attah Cudjoe, who stood in as Acting Chairman, said the theme was deliberate. “Breaking the chains of substance abuse means we are not breaking webs; we are breaking chains.”

He echoed the MCE’s call for collective action and urged the security agencies and the clergy to lead the charge.

He also appealed to schools to strengthen guidance and counselling units and enforce confidentiality policies so students can speak freely.

Health officials at the durbar raised concerns over the increasing rate of youth addiction in mining communities like Prestea. Stakeholders agreed that the fight will require schools, churches, mosques, parents, security, and the media working together.