Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili
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GOVERNMENT has established a national committee on the elimination of drug and substance abuse as the increased cases of drugs abuse are threatening Zimbabwe’s core values.
Government has said most drugs being abused are smuggled into the country.
The committee that has been established will be expected to devise strategies to end drug and substance abuse.
The national drugs taskforce, which was being chaired by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is being transformed into a national technical committee and will be chaired by the Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and deputised by the Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo yesterday presented to Cabinet the modalities on the establishment of the National Committee on the Elimination of Drug and Substance abuse.
“Following Cabinet’s decision at its last meeting to establish an institutional framework to decisively deal with the menace, Cabinet has decided to set up a National Committee on the Elimination of Drug and Substance Abuse.
The committee will be empowered to come up with systematic and sustainable responses that will assist in ensuring that society is free of drug and substance abuse,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, deputised by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, will chair the national committee.
“The national committee will co-ordinate the entire Clean-up Campaign on Drug and Substance Abuse, and will include all the ministers serving on the outgoing Inter-Ministerial TaskForce; the Attorney-General; Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution and the Tripartite of the Chief Secretary, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Deputy Chief Secretaries, the Secretary to the Public Service Commission and the Secretary for Finance and Economic Development,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said the leadership of the Joint Operations Command, the President of the Chiefs Council and his Deputy, the Leadership of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the Zimbabwe Indigenous Christian Churches Council, the Catholic Bishops Conference and the Supreme Islamic Council of Zimbabwe, the Academia Association of University Vice Chancellors and other relevant representatives of appropriate organisations, will also be included.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution will coordinate the activities of the committee at provincial level working with other provincial coordinating teams.
At the District Level, the Committee will be chaired by District Development Co-ordinators and supported by district heads of different Governments departments, chief executive officers of councils and other stakeholders.
At community level, the committee will be chaired by traditional leaders. – @nqotshili
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