Youth Minister expresses concern over growing use of opiate
Opiate abuse among the youth in the country is alarming, the Minister of Youth Development and Employment, George Opare Addo, has said.
He said research findings on opiate abuse in some tertiary institutions in the country showed a dangerous trend.
"I will be addressing the nation on it soon so that together, all of us, especially young people who are change makers, will propose solutions as to how best we can effectively combat the blatant abuse of drugs that is emerging in our markets," the minister said.
Mr Opare Addo said this at a UK-Ghana young leaders summit at the residence of the British High Commissioner in Accra yesterday.
Also present was he CEO of the National Youth Authority, Osman Ayariga.
The event, which was the fifth edition, was on the theme: “"Showcasing youth as designers of change.”
The event brought together a group of young people and change makers from the creative arts, climate action and sustainability sectors.
Among the attendees were alumni of prestigious UK government scholarship programmes, including Chevening, Commonwealth and GREAT.
It formed part of the International Youth Day celebration aimed at driving youth-led solutions and creation of industries to spur economic growth.
The participants also previewed the World Design Congress in the UK which would take place next month.
Design Council UK also shared insights from their design for planet mission, and demonstrated how sustainable design could drive economic growth and social impact.
Mr Opare said that there was the need to “empower and develop our young generation to unleash that innate creativity they have so they can design and create the change we all want”.
Significance
The acting British High Commissioner to Ghana, Keith McMahon, also said “design has the power to transform lives and communities.
This summit reflects the UK's commitment to supporting Ghana's young innovators while highlighting the extraordinary potential that emerges when British design expertise meets Ghanaian creativity and entrepreneurship".
The Head of Strategic Partnerships and Diaspora Relations at the British High Commission, Pamela Bassah, said “Ghana is home to exceptional young talent with bold, innovative ideas for tackling climate change through sustainable design”.
“This summit showcases how UK-Ghana relations can bridge expertise with creativity to co-create solutions for the challenges of tomorrow,” she added.
Ghana’s creative economy contributes approximately 2.5 per cent to its Gross Domestic Product.
It is being driven by young entrepreneurs innovating in digital media, fashion, and architectural designs.
In the UK, the creative industry generate over £100 billion annually and employs more than two million people.
