Bolgatanga, Aug. 29, GNA - The Centre for Youth Welfare and Development (CYWD) an organization aimed at empowering the youth to cope with current social, economic and emotional challenges, on Monday urged government to come out with pragmatic measures to curb the abuse of drugs, especially by the youth.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Programme Coordinator of CYWD, Mr. Michael Alagskoma, and addressed to President John Agyekum Kufour, with copies circulated to Media Houses in Bolgatanga.

The statement expressed concern that the future of the youth would be jeopardized if measures were not taken to address the issue now. It indicated that the high rate of crime such as armed robbery, rape, defilement and other social vices were a result of the abuse of drugs by the youth, especially.

The statement further noted that the country's psychiatric hospitals were choked up with young lunatics and that this was affecting the country's economy.

It suggested to the government to organize a forum comprising representatives of the clergy, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, the Ghana Bar Association, Political Parties and Federation of Women Lawyers, and among others.

The statement noted that the recommendations from that forum would provide a useful guideline to address the crisis of drug abuse once and for all. The forum, it added, would also offer the experts and the technocrats clues to identify the root causes of most social vices the country faces presently.

It regretted that the recent cocaine scandal had damaged the country's image at the domestic and international levels and emphasised the need for government to come out with a solution to the problem.