Accra, June 26, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the People's National Convention (PNC) on Thursday called for a national non-partisan campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Mr. Danny Annan, NDC Greater Regional chairman and Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, PNC National Chairman, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra that, "drug abuse and illicit trafficking had become a threat to national security and stability, economic development, academic progression and the future of the youth."

They said they were therefore calling for a vigorous action to curb the demand and use of drugs.

Mr. Annan said the campaign to get rid of drugs from the society should be designed to make sure that the entire population waged a joint war. Besides the national campaign, Ghana should also offer and accept cooperation at the international and sub-regional level to fight the drug menace, which has engulfed the nation.

Mr Annan said all political parties, governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies media and civil society organizations, must work together as well to help combat drug use and trafficking, he said. "Public awareness is important, too," he said. "After all, if we can change the destiny of a young addict, be it a boy or a girl, and give proper guidance to a household where an addicted person was brought up, we can help prevent others from falling into this dangerous trap," the NDC Regional Chairman said. Mr Annan therefore called on all citizens to work against drugs.

"We should all join hands and act together to tackle the problem. No individual, family or community is safe where illicit drugs take control."

The two parties suggested a national programme for spreading awareness among the public regarding ill-effects of drug abuse and drug trafficking in the society, which should include group and panel discussions on "Drug Abuse and Law Enforcement" on Radio and TV. They also called for organisation of seminars, workshops, film shows on drug abuse prevention; distribution of backdrops, banners, posters, pamphlets and publicity through slide shows at communities across the country.

The rest are awareness campaigns within schools, colleges and tertiary institutions. Alhaji Ramadan called on the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to devote its resources and publicity materials to develop a Public Service Advertisement on ill effects of drug abuse and law enforcement instead of using state resources for political purposes. He said that, no society was safe as long as drugs were in circulation and called for general discussion about drugs. Alhaji Ramadan said the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking should provide Ghanaians the opportunity to talk in their homes and in the communities about drug abuse and the problems they create and the ways they could prevented. The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was instituted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 41/111 on December 7, 1987.