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Drug abuse on the rise among youth in Lawra …3 dead,Paramount Chief concerned
● Naa Puowele Karbo III
The Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area Naa Puowele Karbo III has called on Government and stakeholders in the Upper West Region to implement programmes and policies that would help address substance abuse and its impact on the youth.
He said three young people have died as a result of substance abuse in the Lawra Municipality in 2023, confirming concerns that illicit drug abuse was becoming a serious problem among the youth.
The Paramount Chief made the call during the celebration of this year’s Kobine festival of the Chiefs and People of the Lawra Traditional Area during last weekend.
It was on the theme “substance abuse, impact on human resource management.”
The festival was to give thanks to God and the ancestors for a successful end of the farming year and to welcome another farming season with the expectation of a good harvest.
Naa Karbo III stressed on the need for policy makers to develop social interventions that would create jobs and permanent livelihoods for the youth.
“The cause of the alarming rate of substance abuse especially among the youth can be attributed to the high unemployment rate among them and the frustration of highly qualified students not having access to further education or jobs and the general economic situation in the country”, he said.
The Chief said the effect of the harmful drugs included mental illness, labour diseases, kidney disorders and low productivity among the youth.
He called on development agents to ensure that programmes providing interventions to substance abuse be targeted at the family, schools and communities leaders with the view of raising awareness among peers.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Sallih said the fight against substance abuse was a shared responsibility which required all hands to help fight the menace.
He called on stakeholders in the country to get involved in the advocacy and fight against substance abuse among the youth.
He encouraged the youth to be advocates against the use of drugs among their peers and other youth in their various communities
From Rafia Abdul Razak, Wa
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
