The Paramount Chief of the Sagnarigu Traditional Area, Naa Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai, has strongly criticised the government’s response to illicit drug trafficking and abuse, calling it ineffective and, at times, oppositional to local efforts.
Speaking at a stakeholder forum organised by Savana Signatures on the theme “Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Solutions for a Substance-Free Northern Ghana”, he said the state had failed to capitalise on public outrage and the formation of task forces in Tamale and surrounding areas. Instead of supporting these grassroots initiatives, he noted, the government remained largely passive or even obstructive.
“The public, traditional leaders and communities are ready to share intelligence on traffickers, traders, and users,” he said, stressing that the state’s inaction had allowed the situation to worsen. He blamed the current drug crisis on institutional failures, including lax border controls that have permitted drugs to flood communities.
The chief also expressed concern over children as young as ten wandering the streets at night, warning that such conditions put their education and future at risk. He urged parents to take greater responsibility and called for immediate government action, saying, “This is not the time for long speeches but for action.”
He acknowledged recent public statements by officials and the Regional Security Council as a hopeful sign that authorities were finally beginning to respond to the crisis.
Commending Savana Signatures for bringing stakeholders together, the chief thanked the organisation for fostering collaboration among key actors, including the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, Narcotics Control Commission, law enforcement, and civil society.
Dr. Stephen Agbenyo, Executive Director of Savana Signatures, urged the media to amplify the call for reforms and support efforts to secure the nation’s borders. He said the campaign would continue beyond senior high schools, extending to tertiary institutions and out-of-school youth to address the growing threat of substance abuse.
