Drug abuse is increasingly emerging as a serious crisis in the Savannah Region and other parts of the country.
The situation is posing a serious threat to young people, particularly their health, education and community stability.
From small towns to larger settlements, substances such as tramadol, cannabis, and other illicit drugs are reportedly destroying the youth, resulting in school dropouts, increasing crime rate and mental health challenges.
For the past years, the situation has sparked national conversation with renewed efforts to clamp down on the sale and use of such drugs.
It is against this backdrop that the Overlord of Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soalel, has called for concerted efforts in the fight against drug abuse, which is posing a serious threat to the future of the youth in the region.
Given the gravity of the situation, he said it was crucial for all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, religious leaders, and state institutions, to come together and work towards tackling the menace head-on.
The Yagbon wura said this in a speech read on his behalf on Sunday August 30, as he marks the 2026 annual Damba Festival at his palace in Damongo.
It was celebrated on the theme“Celebrating Our Heritage:
The Role of Traditional Leadership in Promoting Unity and Development,”.
The Yagbonwura urged young people to resist peer pressure and instead pursue education, skills training, entrepreneurship, agriculture, sports and other productive ventures.
He called on parents, chiefs, religious leaders, teachers, security agencies and relevant government institutions to work together to tackle drug abuse and create opportunities for young people to acquire skills, secure employment and establish businesses.
The Overlord lauded the efforts government of President John Dramani Mahama for its efforts to address the country’s economic and social challenges.
He mentioned the 24-Hour Economy, Big Push infrastructure programme, Adwumawura, Free Primary Health Care Programme, measures to stabilise the cedi and agricultural transformation initiatives as policies with the potential to improve livelihoods, create jobs and expand opportunities.
He also urged the government to expedite work on ongoing development projects in the Savannah Region to ensure their timely completion.
On education the Overlord announced that the Bii-Kunuto Educational Fund had fully settled US$20,000 in outstanding tuition fees for Kassim Bakari, a young Gonja student undertaking Commercial Pilot Licence training at Paramount Aviation School in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kassim, who was at the final stage of his training but had been withdrawn because of outstanding fees, can now resume and complete his programme.
The Gonja overlord said Kassim was expected to become the first commercial pilot from Gonjaland upon successful completion of his training.
He appealed to individuals, organisations, institutions and development partners to support the Bii-Kunuto Educational Fund to enable it to provide similar opportunities to more brilliant but needy young people across Gonjaland.
He urged chiefs to strengthen engagement with government, development partners, the private sector and other stakeholders to attract development projects and opportunities to their respective traditional areas.
The Yagbonwura stressed that political differences should not be allowed to undermine relationships and unity among the people of the Gonja Kingdom.
He said although residents might support different political parties, they must remember that political contests were temporary, while the bonds of brotherhood and community remained.
The Gonja overlord further called on stakeholders to rely on dialogue, consultation and traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms to address disagreements and create a peaceful environment for development.
Government officials including the Chief of Staff,the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Ministers of State,MPs ,MMDCEs ,Chiefs and sons and daughters of Gonja showed their presence in marking the event to its success and admiration to all present.
source yagbonradioonline
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