By Sulaiman Jalloh
Complementing government’s efforts in the fight against the spread and intake of drugs, especially Kush, in Sierra Leone, youth leaders at Lordep community near Jui, east end of Freetown, have taken the fight against Kush to their community through sport. It could be recalled that, days ago, President Bio declared the fight as a national health emergency and called on every citizen to join.
In an interview with Expo, the sport chairman and the deputy youth leader in the community, Abudlai Dumbuya, said it has been five years since they started organizing inter-community sport at the end of Ramadan with different focus with this year being on the fight against Kush.
“Myself, I am a victim of the menace in my community, and when we call for meeting, community members do not comply and we thought it was nice to organize sport; with sport, we believe everyone will attend and will listen to our message,” Dumbuya pointed out, adding as leaders, they notice bringing the addicts closer to the community will help in the fight.
According to him, after the sport, they will be mobilizing Kush victims to have them rehabilitated at the rehabilitation center opened by the government at Hastings.
Addressing the spectators, Mohammed Osman Koroma, the community chairman, thanked his community members for gracing the occasion, especially when they are campaigning against Kush, saying they have instituted new bylaws as a means of reducing the menace in their community. “As the President has declared a health emergency, as a community, we have also declared a warrant for all drugs dealers in Jui community” he said, disclosing that together with the police, they will be hunting anyone involved in Kush.
He added that there is already a provision to help drug addicted to be rehabilitated, a saying the first badge of rehabilitated addicts will be out at any time. He said after rehabilitating them, they will be new people in society as the government has a provision for them. He called on the victims to contact the leadership of the community so that they can be assisted to be rehabilitated, emphasizing the warrant against the menace. “If we catch you as a victim, you pay one thousand five hundred New Leones; and for those selling the drug, we will seize your house for five years,” he warned.
Amara Bilal Kamara, a participant who won the fastest runner for the second time in the community, applauded the leadership of the community for such a move, noting it is one of the means the best message can be passed to his colleague youths. Kamara advised drug pushers to stop selling the drug and cautioned his fellow youths to desist from consuming the dangerous substance. He said importers should know that they are making money at the expense of the lives of young people.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Monday, April 15th, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
