The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has engaged stakeholders in the Wa Municipality to chart effective ways of combating the drug abuse menace in the Upper West Region, especially tramadol.

Members of the Wa Municipal Assembly, representatives of Bahas Foundation, Hope Foundation, Department of Social Welfare and Narcotics Control Commission, among others, attended the meeting at the weekend to contribute towards fighting the canker.

Mr Kelvin Sunkpal Dafaari, the Upper West Regional Head of the FDA, noted that the failure of people to report drug peddlers in their communities impeded the fight against the menace.

“We are looking at collaborating with local authorities and traditional leaders to intensify public education and sensitisation at the community level,” he said.

“We also want to strengthen our collaboration with the relevant state agencies and institutions to fight the canker."

Mr Dafaari observed with worry that tramadol was now sold in the communities by unauthorised vendors including mobile money vendors and provision shops.

Mr Yahaya Mohammed Hafiz, the Upper West Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, said the Council deemed it necessary to collaborate with the FDA to check the alarming rate at which the youth were abusing tramadol in the Wa Municipality.

He stressed the need to ensure that every player in the drug value chain worked according to the dictates of the law to help reduce the canker.

He explained that most of the drugs people abused in the Municipality were not registered in Ghana but came into the country through unapproved routes.

Mr Issahaku Tahiru Moomin, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), observed that drug abuse was a national security concern attributing the high crime rate in the municipality to drug abuse and needed concerted efforts to tackle.

He emphasised the need for the Assembly members to support the FDA and serve as its ambassadors against drug peddling and abuse.

Mr Yahaya Jiga, the Assembly Member for the Bamahu Electoral Area, recommended the production of injectable tramadol, which would be difficult to use by any person than a health personnel.