The Reverend Dr Emmanuel Akumfi Ameyaw, a United States-based Ghanaian Reverend Minister has expressed worry about uncontrolled level of alcoholism and substance abuse among the youth in the country.
He, therefore, called for active collaboration between the government, religious organisations and society to intervene and do something realistic to bring the alarming situation under control.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Wenchi in the Bono Region, Rev Dr Ameyaw said alcoholism and substance abuse were having devasting effects on the lives of the youth, saying if something was not done urgently, ‘all our youth will turn alcoholics and drug addicts’.
The Reverend Minister, also the Director of the United States-based Ghanaian charity organisation, the Hope Global Ghana was speaking to the GNA after he presented medical supplies to the Wenchi Methodist and St Joseph Hospitals in the Wenchi Municipality.
Each of the hospitals received boxes of medical devices and equipment valued GHC300,0
00 to improve healthcare delivery in the municipality.
‘It is glaring the youth, both boys and girls are ruining their lives with excessive alcohol intake and drugs abuse and peddling.
Seems we are failing as a church, parents, government and religious bodies and civil society in bringing up this younger generation responsibly. Society will bear the brunt if we neglect and allow them to go wayward,’ he stated.
Rev Dr Ameyaw, a native of Wenchi indicated that alcoholism would not only make the youth poor, but also ruin their future and thereby make them societal liabilities.
Source: Ghana News Agency