Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
MATABELELAND South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu has called for the establishment of income-generating projects targeting youths who are at risk of drug and substance abuse.
Speaking during a Matabeleland South provincial committee meeting on the elimination of drugs and substance abuse, Dr Ndlovu said Government efforts to fight the menace of drug and substance abuse should be complemented by other stakeholders.
She said one way of fighting the drug abuse scourge is to keep the youngsters occupied.
“Matabeleland South has equally been affected by drug and substance abuse particularly among the youth. This is very alarming and is a serious cause for concern. Youths are the future leaders of our country hence we are saying the fight against drug and substance abuse calls for collective effort,” said Dr Ndlovu.
She said in Makorokoro there is an intervention that has been put in place by a local working in the diaspora.
“The young man established a horticulture garden and he engaged young people who were abusing drugs in the community,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Dr Ndlovu said creating employment for the youth helps capacitate them to resist the temptation to engage in drug and substance abuse.
She said locals have to come up with income-generating projects which can keep the youth productive.
Minister Ndlovu also urged community leaders to be on the lookout and find ways of curbing drug and substance abuse.
She also urged the provincial drug and substance elimination committee to come up with robust mitigatory plans and strategies.
Drug and substance abuse programmes which will now be mainstreamed from the national level down to the village level, will revolve around six thematic pillars which are supply reduction, demand reduction, harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, community reintegration and psycho-social support.
Other pillars are media and communication and resource mobilisation.
Provincial committees on the elimination of drugs and substance abuse are expected to ensure that all the pillars are activated down to the village or community level with a particular focus on the following: cascading structures to the sub-provincial level, public awareness and information dissemination, arresting and prosecution of offenders, resource mobilisation for drug and substance abuse programming, establishment of stand alone drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centres.
The committees should also prioritise the provision of psycho-social support and community reintegration services, situational analysis of the province and making recommendations and submission of activity reports on a weekly basis.
Speaking during the same meeting, Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu who is also responsible for drug and substance abuse elimination in Matabeleland South, said all committees from the ward to the province are expected to meet every week and submit activities reports to the national level prior to the national technical committee meetings which are conducted on Thursdays.
“Drug and substance abuse is now one of the top-ranking disasters wreaking havoc in many societies across the world and Zimbabwe is not spared. The country is witnessing an increase in drug abuse within communities with the youths being the most affected,” said Minister Ndlovu.
According to the World Drug Report 2023, the burden of drug and substance abuse in Africa is disproportionally high among young people below the age of 35 with cannabis being the most abused drug.
Recent studies done in Zimbabwe revealed that an estimated 7,1 percent of young people abuse drugs and the most abused drugs are cannabis, crystal meth, Broncleer, skin lighteners, illicit beverage and body enlargement products.
Children as young as 10 years old are now engaging in drug and substance abuse.
In April last year, President Mnangagwa established an Inter-ministerial task force on drug and substance abuse elimination to address the menace.
Due to the severity of the matter, the Inter-ministerial task force was elevated to a national committee chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri with a clear mandate to curtail the supply of illicit drugs and substances and to reduce demand and harm.
The committee has the mandate of ensuring access to treatment and rehabilitation services and promoting the successful reintegration of victims into society.
The national committee is comprised of Government ministries, departments and agencies, traditional leadership, religious organisations, development partners and the private sector among others. — @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter