Akuapem North MP Sammi Awuku has sounded the alarm over rising drug abuse among Ghanaian youth, demanding immediate intervention to curb what he describes as a threat to the nation’s future.
The lawmaker made the appeal during his address at the Annual Conference of the Singing Band of the Akuapem Presbytery, proposing a church-government partnership to address the crisis.
“With 87 basic schools, 10 senior high schools, and two special needs institutions in our constituency, we cannot gamble with our children’s future,” Awuku stated. The MP specifically highlighted drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, and LGBTQ+ issues as interconnected challenges eroding traditional values in Okuapeman and nationwide.
Awuku’s proposed collaboration with the Presbyterian Church would focus on preventive education and community-based rehabilitation programs. The call comes amid growing concern over synthetic drug availability in Ghanaian schools, with recent NACOC reports showing a 40% increase in youth drug seizures since 2022.
Ghana’s narcotics control commission has intensified operations against drug syndicates targeting schools, but experts argue demand reduction requires coordinated grassroots efforts like those proposed by Awuku. Similar church-state partnerships proved effective in Nigeria’s “War Against Indiscipline” campaigns.
