The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has observed that most of the irresponsible behaviour such as violence and crimes are caused by the youth under the influence of drugs, emphasising that the youth must eschew drugs to help build a responsible nation.

Mrs. Augustina Akosua Akumanyi, Deputy Chairperson of the NCCE in-charge of Operations said most of the youth were being used as agents or tools to cause troubles in society fueled by drugs.

Mrs. Akumanyi was addressing the opening ceremony of a four-day training workshop of selected youths across the three Northern Regions in Tamale on Wednesday on the negative effects and consequences of drug usage and the methodology of withdrawal. Some of the participants who were into drugs, would be counseled by experts and assisted to withdraw from the habit.

The workshop which is being supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany is on the theme; “Own your future” with the objective to use the trainees as models to reach out to other drug users to refrain from its usage so as to improve their lives positively, while others would be rehabilitated.

Mrs. Akumanyi said drugs destroy the moral fabric of society and appealed to the youth who had access to drugs to think about their future and concentrate their efforts at developing themselves through education instead of drug use.

She stress on the need for parents to give adequate care and attention to their wards, noting that most of the youths who were into drugs had split parenthood saying “parents must show respect to one another and understand each other for their children to emulate”.

The Deputy Director however commended the youth of the country for the calm atmosphere they displayed during and after the just-ended polls. "Tamale youth in particular must be commended for non-violence during the elections", she said.

Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director of the NCCE said the steps being taken by the NCCE to sensitize the youth against drugs complement with the civic responsibility role of the Commission to deepen democratic culture.

He said the development of human society must not be limited to rights and responsibilities but all other behaviours that enhanced the individual in totality.

Therefore issues such as reduction in the usage of drugs among the youth were also critical and needed to be addressed seriously.

He indicated that Indian hemp popularly known as ‘wee’ and alcohol were identified as the most abused drugs among the youth in the country and urged other stakeholders to collaborate in fighting the menace.