Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai
The Paramount Chief of the Sagnarigu Traditional Area and a former Ambassador to Senegal, Naa Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai, has chastised the state for its failure to fight against the trafficking of illicit drugs and abuse.
“The state has not been very responsible in the fight against illicit drugs trafficking and abuse,” he stated.
Addressing participants at the Savana Signatures stakeholder engagement forum under the theme “Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Solutions for a Substance-Free Northern Ghana,” he indicated that the state has remained silent even though task forces have been formed to help fight the menace.
“With the outrage in Tamale and around leading to the formation of task forces, the state remain silent when it should have taken advantage of intelligence and active participation to fight the menace, and in some cases the state even seems opposing the fight that has been taken by the task forces,” he added.
According to him, the public, traditional leaders, and communities are ready to provide intelligence of the traffickers, traders, depots and consumers to authorities to help curb the menace.
“Recent statements by public officials and the Regional Security Council gives me hope that the state is finally waking up. This is not the time for long speeches but action,” he stated.
Naa Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai, lamented about the capture of state institutions which prevent the illicit drugs from entering into to the country.
“The disaster in recent times about illicit drugs in our various communities is the failure of our institutions that permits the entry of these drugs from our borders, the custody and distribution in our region and country at large,” he stressed.
He urged parents to take responsibility of their wards.
“At night you see children about 10 years walking around, which is a serious concern, and that can negatively impact their education,” he pointed out.
He commended Savana Signatures for organising the stakeholder engagement aimed to deepen collaboration among key actors working to prevent and address substance abuse in the region, especially by the youth.
“We thank you for all the efforts you are putting in to make sure that our communities and country at large become a better place to live in,” he stated.
The Savana Signatures stakeholder engagement brought together diverse actors from the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, Narcotics Control Commission, law enforcement agencies, media, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, and youth groups.
The Executive Director of Savana Signatures, Dr. Stephen Agbenyo, called for the support of the media and urged them to advocate for reforms to help fight the illicit drug menace in the country, to ensure that the borders are well protected.
He assured that Savana Signatures will continue with the campaign and even go beyond the Senior High Schools to the tertiary institutions, as well as the out of school youth.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale