The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Brigadier General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, says the fight against the rising threat of drug abuse among the youth in the country must involve all stakeholders.

He said addressing the menace demands a collective effort from all members of society, as tackling hard drugs is a shared responsibility that requires schools, families, traditional authorities, alumni, and private partners to work together as an integrated ecosystem of protection.

Brig. Gen. Mantey was speaking at the Benkum Senior High School Reunion and Fundraising event for a physical education and fitness centre, held at Akuapem Larteh. The event aimed to raise funds to build an ultra-modern sports complex to nurture future leaders who are mentally sharp, physically fit, and emotionally resilient.

The Director-General of NACOC said that in Ghana today, substances such as tramadol, Red 225, synthetic opioids, cannabis, and other new psychoactive substances are threatening the lives of young people.

He noted that NACOC has intensified its education and prevention programmes in schools and communities across the country to ensure effective advocacy against the indiscriminate use of hard drugs among the youth, especially students.

Brig. Gen. Mantey explained that NACOC is mandated to implement preventive education, calling on everyone, especially students, to be the first line of defence, and to remember that prevention is always cheaper and more sustainable than rehabilitation.

He urged students to protect their minds and guard their ambitions by remaining focused on their education, enabling them to become valuable members of society.

“We must treat the menace of hard drug abuse among the youth as a public-private partnership, where efforts are made to turn the narrative into a force for sustainable youth empowerment,” he said.

The Chairman of the occasion, David Owusu, urged students to abstain from all forms of nefarious acts that could hinder their future aspirations and instead focus on their studies to attain good grades.

The event was also graced by Alexander Twum-Barimah, Deputy Director-General of NACOC in charge of Enforcement, Control, and Elimination.