The Municipal Chief Executive for Asokore Mamponga, Ben Abdallah Alhassan, leading the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has raided a popular drug den within the municipality, in a bid to clamp down on illicit drugs.
He noted that the use of illicit drugs particularly by the youth, the future leaders and who dominate the population has the tendency to jeopardise the future of the municipality.
The MCE told The Chronicle in an interview that the Municipal Assembly had launched a Community Awareness for the Assembly to engage heads of Zongo communities, traditional leaders and leaders of the Zongo communities within the municipality, as well as its youth groups to champion advocacy on illicit drugs. They will also discuss the challenges of the municipality as well as finding solutions.
He stressed the need to sensitise the youth on illicit drugs and deter them from indulging in the practice to avert the resultant health hazards and environmental degradation.
The MCE bemoaned the marginalisation of Zongo communities and appealed to policy makers and the government to address issues that affect the Zongo communities.
He mentioned the Hausa community, which has existed in Ghana for over 125 years and that it would be “prudent and important” to recognise them (Hausa community) as part and parcel of our various communities, as well as granting them the recognition they deserve.
MCE Ben Abdallah Alhassan disclosed that in furtherance of its bid to secure a brighter future for the youth, the Assembly was collaborating with Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) and MasterCard Foundation Canada, to empower the youth.
The collaboration, he said, would target women between the ages of 18 and 35 years, providing them with skills training in the area of agro processing, marketing content creation, digital marketing and cyber-security among others.
He also disclosed that through the instrumentality of the Member of Parliament, the Assembly had secured a sponsorship to construct three ultra-modern Astro Turf, aimed at developing the sporting skills, as well as harnessing the inherent potential of the youth.
He revealed that the Assembly had also secured 12 fully sponsored GETFund projects for the various Senior High Schools within the municipality.
Touching on security, the MCE said that mechanisms have been put in place to beef-up the security of the municipality. He disclosed that with the assistance of the MP, the Assembly had secured two operational pick-ups, each for the Asokore Mampong Command and the Municipal Fire Office and also in the process of procuring a brand new fire engine for the latter.
The Assembly has also installed a lot of streetlights to enhance visibility, increasing night patrols and checkpoints.
He noted that these are tangibles to improving security in the municipality, as well as beefing up the number of security personnel following, which the Municipality has received an additional 30 police personnel, with the aim of augmenting police visibility across the municipality.
From Oswald Pius Freiku, Kumasi
