Margibi County Representative, Ellen Attoh-Wreh, has alarmed about the growing number of drug-affected youths in the country and called for collective effort to deal with the situation.
The lawmaker maintained that children as young as ten are becoming addicted to cocaine and other narcotic substances, causing serious harm for their mental health.
She said there is a need to address the plight of these victims to avoid what she called serious national catastrophe and insecurity, as youths under this severe mental condition are often used to stir up violence and instability, especially during elections.
Representative Ellen Attoh-Wreh was speaking to legislative reporters at her Capitol Hill office a day after the Legislature approved a law that makes drug trafficking a non-bailable offense.
She described the passage of the act as a significant breakthrough in effort to criminalize substance abuse and drug trafficking, but underscored that such a bold step should go hand in hand with the rehabilitation of victims of substance abuse and addiction.
The lawmaker challenged law enforcers to be rigid with traffickers who are supplying the drugs on the market and consider addicts as victims of the illegal trade in harmful substances.
She also called for the protection of whistleblowers and the media to expose perpetrators of the crime to face criminal charges, irrespective of their positions in government.
Touching on the plight of drug-affected youths in her district in Margibi County, the female advocate disclosed that it is worsening with constant attacks by disadvantaged youths on innocent people and their properties, day and night.
Margibi County’s electoral district #3 Representative, Ellen Attoh-Wreh, is a well-known gender activist and protector of disadvantaged children.
She was at the forefront of argument in the National Legislature that led to the successful passage of the new drug law to protect victims of substance abuse.
Representative Attoh is admired in the county for her stand against gender-based violence, abuse of women and children and other forms of stigma.