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West Africans becoming major users of
illicit drugs
Accra, July 6, GNA – Mr. Abraham Nunoo, Information Officer,
United Nations Information Centre, on Thursday noted that
there was an upsurge in the use of illicit drugs among West
Africans, saying the sub-region had moved from being a
transit point to a major user of illicit drugs due to the
weaknesses in the laws governing member countries.
Mr. Nunoo was speaking at a ceremony in Accra organized by
Humanity Care International (HCI), a Non-Governmental
Organization, to sensitize students of Labone Secondary
School on the effects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
He said recent developments on the West African coast,
especially the recent interception of large quantities of
cocaine in Senegal and other countries, gave credence to the
fact that there had been an increase in the use of illicit
drugs among West Africans.
Mr. Nunoo said the UN had observed that illicit uses of
drugs were mostly associated with transnational and
organized crimes which had political, social and economic
effects on countries.
He said the fight against the use of illicit drugs needed a
multi-dimensional approach and the UN had been assisting
Ghana through the International Narcotics Control Board in
its quest to fight against the use of illicit drugs.
Mr Nunoo said the UN had been training Ghanaian security
personnel and also providing the government with modern
devices to be able to detect illicit drugs on the shores and
beyond.
Mrs Faustina Nelson, Executive Chairperson, HCI, said it was
important for civil society groups to see the need to
educate the youth, who are the future leaders of the
country, against the use of illicit drugs.
Mrs Nelson said HCI saw the need to educate the youth,
especially students who were vulnerable, against the
influence of drug peddlers.
She said it was untrue that hard drugs such as cocaine,
heroin, and marijuana helped to increase the intelligence
quotient of students.
GNA
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