Twenty queens and queenmothers are championing the fight against drug and alcohol abuse among the youth in their communities as voluntary ambassadors of behavioural change.

The queens would organize community durbars, radio discussions, school talk shows, facts shows, among other programmes in the implementation of the “Alcohol and drug abuse prevention” project launched by AA Commaid Foundation in collaboration with Queens and Queenmothers, all non-governmental organizations. The project is on the theme: “It takes a village to raise a champion”.

Mr Innocent Adamadu, Technical Project Advisor for AA Commaid Foundation on the project, said implementation would take place in Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region, Sandema in the Bulsa North District, Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region, Ada in the Greater Accra Region and Logba in the Afajato South District in the Volta Region.

Mr Adamadu noted that the five regions were selected based on the research the organizations conducted in the first phase of the project during which it was gathered that about 40 per cent of the youth in those areas were into alcohol and various drugs.

He added that they discovered that the youth had devised many ways of using Indian hemp popularly known as “wee” including processing it into toffees, biscuits and mixing it with alcohol and other substances.

He noted that the use of tramadol was gradually dying off as the youth was now into snob, blue and sniffing of super glue and solutions (a substance mostly used by mechanics and vulcanizers).

Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, Ada Adibiawe Divisional Queen and Executive Director of AA Commaid, in a welcoming address, said it was her passion to look for ways to curb such social vices that impeded the development of the youth.

Naana Adi said the overall aim of the project was to inspire the promotion of youth empowerment and leadership, for socio economic development in line with Ghana’s developmental agenda as well as contribute to the attainment of goals three, four and eight of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

She appealed to organizations and individuals to support the project with educational materials, resource personnel, volunteers and financial resources to enable it successfully implement the project and extend it to the remaining regions.

Mrs Juliana Amankwah-Marfo, Senior Regulatory Officer at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Mr Kweku Brobbey, Head of Communication at the Mental Health Authority, educated participants at the launch on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on the public especially the youth.

They urged the youth to stay away from alcohol abuse and any form of drugs as doing so would destroy their future and expose them to several illnesses. They commended the two organizations for joining the fight against drug and alcohol abuse and called on others to join to help save the youth from their devastating effects.

Mamaga Agumekorsiha V, Paramount Queen of Logba Traditional Area in the Volta Region, said she was shocked at the information gathered from the youth during the first phase of the project adding that she could not believe young women were also abusing such substances.

Mamaga Agumekosiha gave the assurance that the 20 queens were prepared and well trained to bring the needed influence and change among the youth in their communities.