26% of Youth Begin Drug Abuse Before Age 15 – Minister

By Maame Efua Kwaduah

The Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has disclosed that 26% of Ghanaian youth begin abusing drugs before the age of 15, raising fresh concerns over the growing prevalence of substance abuse among young people.

Addressing Parliament, the Minister outlined a range of interventions being implemented by his Ministry and the National Youth Authority (NYA) to address the challenge. These include media partnerships, school outreach programmes, a nationwide billboard campaign, the recruitment of youth ambassadors and plans to establish a dedicated youth rehabilitation centre. He, however, acknowledged that inadequate funding continues to limit the scale of the response.

Mr. Opare Addo said the Ministry has partnered with youth-focused radio station YFM to use regular programmes, interviews, call-in shows and public service announcements to educate young people on the dangers of drug abuse.

He added that the National Youth Authority is also engaging students directly through activities such as Party in the Park and other second-cycle school events, using the platforms to promote peer-to-peer education, distribute awareness materials, recruit Red Ambassadors and encourage discussions on substance abuse prevention.

To strengthen the campaign, the Minister said popular Ghanaian influencers have been appointed as Red Means Stop ambassadors to use their influence, particularly on social media and through music, to promote drug-free lifestyles among young people.

The National Youth Authority has also developed a nationwide billboard campaign covering all 16 regions. Under the initiative, billboards carrying anti-drug messages are being erected along major highways, transport corridors, city centres, markets, school zones, youth gathering points, transport terminals, sports stadia and entertainment centres to reinforce awareness.

Despite the progress, the Minister admitted that funding constraints continue to hamper implementation and appealed to stakeholders to support the programme.

On community mobilisation, Mr. Opare Addo revealed that more than 2,000 Red Ambassadors have been recruited nationwide. The volunteers are being trained as peer counsellors, event organisers and community mobilisers, with training covering communication, digital advocacy, public speaking, event planning and grassroots mobilisation.

He said the Authority plans to organise more than 500 school outreach programmes annually through Red Means Stop rallies and youth festivals. Additional measures include developing substance abuse prevention policies for schools, strengthening referral systems for treatment and rehabilitation services, and engaging religious leaders, traditional authorities and community organisations in the campaign.

The Minister further disclosed that the Ministry has secured a three-acre parcel of land for the construction of a youth rehabilitation centre in partnership with an external collaborator, although details of the arrangement are yet to be finalised.

He urged Members of Parliament to actively support the campaign by dedicating part of their community engagements to raising awareness about drug abuse while helping mobilise financial and community support for prevention initiatives.

Describing substance abuse as a national challenge, Mr. Opare Addo cited figures showing that 41% of tertiary students are aware of active drug use on their campuses compared with 37% of students in second-cycle institutions, describing the trend as a national emergency requiring sustained action.

He reiterated that substance abuse should be treated as a community-wide problem rather than an individual failing because its effects extend beyond users to families and society.

The Minister reaffirmed his Ministry’s commitment to monitoring and strengthening its interventions while working with stakeholders to ensure that young people battling drug addiction receive appropriate rehabilitation and support. He also appealed to Parliament to help sustain public awareness and national dialogue on substance abuse as efforts continue to curb the growing menace among Ghana’s youth.