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Tamale, Ghana – The North-West Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church – Reverend Dr David Wumbei Akonsi, has urged Ghanaians and especially Christians, to lead a vigorous campaign against illicit drug abuse among the youth.
He said as salt and light of the world, Christians should not sit by and allow their fellow brethren to suffer in bitterness and pain as a result of the abuse of hard drugs.
“It is therefore, our mandated duty as Ghanaians and Christians to help replace the bitterness and pain of drug victims with the joy of the Holy Spirit and the light of this world, who is Jesus Christ” he exhorted.
Rev. Dr Akonsi made this statement on Sunday when he launched Teen Challenge Ghana (TCG), an initiative of the Assemblies of God Ghana to fight illicit drug abuse among the youth.
Globally, Ghana has been ranked as the 3rd leading country in the use of marijuana and 1st in Africa. According to a United Nations report on the use of illegal drugs in the world, about 22 percent of Ghanaians of schooling age are engaged in drug abuse.
Rev. Dr David Akonsi who is also Chairman of the Northern Region Governing Board of TCG, observed that, Ghana had become a major transit hub for international drug traffickers who arrive in the country from Middle East, Asia and South America in transit to Europe and North America with cargoes laden with hard drugs for sale and abuse.
“Very unfortunately, the drug traffickers leave some of the drugs in this country. Consequently, the street corners and alleys of our cities and towns are filled with more and more of our youth, both male and female, who engage in the wanton misuse of drugs and its attending criminal activities like armed robbery, burglary, pickpocketing, prostitution and the rest”, he pointed out.
According to him, TCG was there, a welcome news for the country and to a lesser degree, the people of Northern Region especially Tamale. “Because, the activities of TCG is a contributing asset to the efforts of the government in dealing with the upsurge of drug abuse and its related problems in the country”, he stressed.
The North-West Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church advised the youth not to waste their time on drugs and unproductive ventures. “I entreat you to devote your time to studying your books or whatever fruitful ventures you are engaged in, so that you can sharpen your personal skills in order to improve yourself as well as helping to prepare the development of your communities and country as a whole”.
TCG seeks to provide youth, adults and families with an effective and comprehensive Christian faith-based solution to life-controlling drug and alcohol problems in order to enable them to become productive members of society.
By applying Biblical principles, TCG endeavours to help people to become mentally-sound, emotionally-balanced, physically-well, spiritually-alive and socially-adjusted.
The initiative is hinged on three main goals of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of affected victims within a closely monitored environment where all their basic needs are well catered for.
After a 12 month rehabilitation programme in a residential facility, the student or former addict is expected to have achieved a state of abstinence; a more acceptable way of life devoid illegal activities; growth to an appreciable level of spiritual maturity; and the reduction of crime in the communities they originated from.
The Executive Director of TCG and a former drug addict, Rev. David Kofi Owusu Boateng, also observed that the media was a major contributory factor to the surge of drug abuse particularly alcohol.
He said the media is very powerful tool that could be used to empower society to progress as well as destroy a very progressive society, citing advertisement of alcoholic beverages on most television and radio networks as having a strong influence on the behaviour of young people.
“When you put on your television set you see young people giggling, laughing and expressing happiness as they are served with beer. There is an advert of a child trying to steal meat from his mother’s soup and in the process the pot of soup falls down and everything pours and the mother comes to hug the child”, Rev. Boateng pointed out.
Rev. Boateng noted that, such kinds of advertisements were not good and called on all religious organisations and the government to rise up to the challenges and dangers being posed by the media as well as illicit drug abuse which was very common among young people.
The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Solomon Boar who was guest of honour, commended the Assemblies of God Church for their initiative and willingness to fight drug abuse in the society.
Whilst appealing to more faith-based organisations to introduce similar initiatives to help mold the lives of young people in order to make the society a better place to live, Mr Boar donated Ghc2,000.00 during a fundraising effort to support the TCG campaign.
By Savannahnews
