By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Sunyani, (Bono), Dec. 29, GNA – Mr Richmond Atta-Kwasi, a Health Promotion Officer at the Bono Regional Health Directorate has urged concerted efforts to tackle the growing substance among adolescents in the country.
He said substance abuse like cigarette and Indian hemp smoking as well as alcoholism undermined body immunity and exposed abusers to chronic diseases.
Mr Atta-Kwasi expressed worry that despite the health hazards and intensifying public sensitization, many of the adolescents were still addicted to substance abuse and thereby jeopardizing their health.
He was speaking at the Annual Games and Interactive Session of the Sunyani Municipal Adolescent ‘Parliament’ organised by the Global Media Foundation and its partners in Sunyani, as part of the implementation of the Resilient City for Adolescent (RCA) project.
The GloMeF in collaboration with the Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN) and the Citizens Watch Ghana (CWG) also NGOs are implementing the three-year project, being funded by Fondation Botnar, through Ecorys, United Kingdom to improve adolescent lives.
Mr Atta-Kwasi indicated that as the future leaders of the nation, Ghana’s would be bleak if more efforts were not made to stem substance abuse among the youth and added that that required a collective approach.
Earlier, Mr Emmanuel Jesse Sarkodie, the Project Coordinator of the IWEN, the partners in-charge of the implementation of the sports component of the RCA project, advised the adolescents to make responsible choices that would secure their future and build a healthy society.
He explained that the day’s event aimed at increasing awareness of creation about the dangers of substance abuse as well as provided a common platform for adolescents to engage positively and network.
“We must also help unearth and build the talents of the adolescent so that they will grow to become responsible adults and occupy enviable positions in secular lives and politics and contribute to progressive development”, Mr Sarkodie stated.
He advised the adolescents to shun bad peers, unhealthy behaviours and sexual immorality that could ruin their lives, urging families to also monitor the movements of their children and wards by guiding them to build healthy friendships.
About 200 adolescents drawn from the 19 constituencies of the Adolescent ‘Parliament’ established by the RCA attended the event which featured sporting activities including football gala, volleyball, dancing and eating competition.
The four teams competed in in-door games like Oware, Ludo, and Draft with the Abetifi Zongo team emerging winners of the football competition while the Baakoniaba team won the volleyball.
All the participating teams received prizes ranging between trophies and medals as well as some souvenirs and Christmas packages.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade
