By Michael Kofi Kenetey
Perfector of Sentiments, POS Foundation, a non-governmental organization which is into human rights advocacy in collaboration with the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council and the Ghana Education Service has organized a day’s seminar on prevention of the use of illicit drugs for students of Koforidua Senior High Technical School, SECTECH in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital. The seminar was on the theme, “Prevention of the use of illicit Drugs, the Youth Our Future”.
POS Foundation is a non-governmental organization which is into human rights advocacy, policy reforms and access to justice, youth development, social accountability, gender equity and women economic empowerment among others. The mission of the foundation is to create positive change and contribute to sustainable development through advocacy for better government policies, access to justice and respect for human rights. The vision of POS is to become the leading human right civil society organization championing the course for policy reforms, research, youth development and social accountability in Ghana and Africa.
As a result of promoting youth development in Ghana, the foundation organized the seminar for the students to sensitize them on the negative effects of substance abuse and on the need to desist from the use of illicit drugs which pose a threat to their future.
In an interview with the Executive Director of POS Foundation, Jonathan Osei- Owusu, he noted that as part of the new law on drugs, Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 Act 1019, the foundation has for the past years been advocating for the country to see drug use as a public health and human right issue rather than incarceration and punishment to drug addicts. Mr. Osei-Owusu noted that the law mandates Narcotics Control Board to collaborate with other stakeholders and CSOs to educate the youth on the negative effects of substance abuse.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong noted that it is relevant for the students to be aware of the types of drugs and its associated dangers and advised them to desist from the use of illicit substance abuse.
The Eastern Regional Education Director, Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, asked the students to flee from negative peer influence and encouraged them to study hard as they have a role to play in building the country.
She advises them to concentrate on the reason they are in school. The seminar brought together over seven hundred students. The school drama group performed a sketch to educate their colleagues and participants on the negative effects of illicit substance abuse.
POS Foundation donated a Public Announcing system and a cash amount of two thousand cedis to the school drama group. The foundation also donated one thousand cedis to the Regional Narcotics Control Board to support them in educating the youth on the effects on substance abuse.
