Educate your constituents on effects of substance abuse - E/R Chief Imam urges parliamentarians
The Eastern Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Yussif Amudani Sulemana, has called on parliamentarians to engage opinion leaders, as well as parents and guardians within their respective constituencies, on the negative effects of substance abuse.
That, he indicated, would enable them to see how best to engage their children at home on the negative impact of the menace.
He added that by doing so, it would entirely reduce or stop the use of dangerous drugs or substances, including “red”, by their children or youth.
Alhaji Sulemana made the suggestion in an interview with the Daily Graphic at his Koforidua Zango residence on Monday.
Dangerous drugs
He stated that the use of substances such as "red", tramadol, wee and other drugs and their associated harmful effects had become so common in every society, and as such it was time for members of parliament (MPs), opinion leaders and parents to put their heads together to eradicate the use of such dangerous drugs, which have negative impact on the youth.
The Regional Chief Imam explained that the future of Ghana would be at stake because the youth, who were the future leaders, were being addicted to such harmful drugs.
"Nowadays, it is common to see many young boys and girls acting abnormally. While some will be sleep-walking others will also be barking like dogs, although they are all human beings," Alhaji Sulemana stated.
"We should not sit down and fold our arms while our children continue to go wayward, destroying their future and at the same time becoming useless to the societies they hail from.
God-giving potentials
Alhaji Sulemana further explained that if such abnormal behaviours were not changed, it would result in them under-utilising their God-given talents and potentials and rather be a burden to their families, relatives and communities as a whole.
For his part, Alhaji Sulemana said he had for a long time been advising the youth to do away with such dangerous drugs for the betterment of their future and, at the same time, make them responsible citizens tomorrow.
Address canker
That, Alhaji Sulemana stated, had somehow helped to address the issue in the Zango community, but a time had come for all and sundry to help address the canker.
According to the Regional Chief Imam, if such a situation persisted, communities with many drug abusers would not only be unsafe for habitation but also lead to the destruction of the future of young boys and girls who would take over leadership roles in the future.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies, especially the police, to arrest such young boys and girls and put them before the court to be given custodial deterrent sentences.
Writers email:
