Mr Roger Atambire Abaa, the Executive Director of Life of Alcohol and Drugs Ghana, (LOAD-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has called for stringent measures to regulate the brewing of alcoholic beverages and the establishment of drinking bars in the country.

He said the rate at which alcoholic beverage brewers and drinking bars were springing up in the country was alarming and worrisome as some were cited close to schools.

Mr Abaa, who made the call through the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga, said due to the nearness of spots to schools, pupils and students sometimes abandon lessons to go and drink and this affect their academic work.

He urged the various metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to introduce measures to regulate the increasing number of bars, with emphasis on those near schools.

Citing the Upper East Region for example, Mr Abaa said many schools in the region including the Bolgatanga Senior High, Zamse Senior High Technical, Bolgatanga Girls Senior High and many Junior High Schools had drinking spots situated close to them.

The Executive Director identified education and law enforcement as key to tackling the menace of alcoholism and drug abuse and called on government, the corporate world, philanthropists, development partners, traditional and religious leaders to support LOAD-Ghana scale up its activities in the region.

The NGO works towards achieving a drug free society to ensure that all realize their God given talents and contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation.

LOAD-Ghana has over the years organized series of sensitization programmes and counseling in schools and other institutions in the region.