The minister deplores the impact of drug addiction on young people

BULAWAYO Minister of Metropolitan Affairs and Decentralization Judith Ncube has lamented the heartbreaking impact of drug addiction on the city’s youth, saying the gravity of the situation was felt at Ingutsheni Hospital, where even children aged 10 are treated for drug addiction. .

Ncube made the remarks at a youth conference organized by the African Council of Churches led by Bishop Rocky Moyo in Bulawayo over the weekend.

The conference was held to combat drug abuse and addiction among children in Bulawayo.

“I recently attended a meeting organized by the Roman Catholic Church, which was attended by young people and members of the Church,” Ncube said.

“As I listened to the speakers, I was overcome with emotion and cried, begging God to protect his children in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe.

“The enemy (drug and substance abuse) has targeted and surrounded our youth, causing immense harm. The situation at Ingutsheni Hospital is dire, with even children as young as 10 years old suffering from drug addiction, affecting both boys and girls.

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Ncube said Zimbabwe must remain focused on achieving Vision 2030.

“However, if our young people continue to be victims of drugs, they will not be able to progress. Currently, drug traffickers target schoolchildren by selling drugs in small, affordable sachets, making it easy for any child to buy them,” she said.

“This situation is alarming, because children return home and refuse to listen to their parents. We must come together as a Bulawayo community to fight this crisis.

“We must determine whether these drugs are being used as a weapon to destroy Africa. Our children face enormous challenges and it is our responsibility to find solutions and protect their futures.

Moyo said the Church aimed to empower young people to avoid harmful behavior and make positive choices for themselves.

“They (young people) must present themselves as the future of our country, asserting their right to make decisions that correspond to their values.

“Another important concern is the high rate of pregnancy among young girls, which leads to school dropouts,” he said.

“We want to teach young people that they can always be autonomous and defend their choices, whatever their situation. As a Church, we have a role to play in teaching our children about future responsibilities, including parenting, to reduce the alarming divorce rates we are witnessing.

Guest of honour, Zanu-PF national political commissioner Munyaradzi Machacha praised the Church’s efforts to combat drug addiction.

“I wish it was the same in our Zanu PF youth league. If we do not educate our children to know the purpose of their lives, to understand that their destiny is in their hands and to recognize that this country is an inheritance that God has given them with all its riches, then our young people will not not. to be able to assume leadership and defend this national heritage,” he declared.

“This can easily be taken away from them by the same Western detractors who were once our colonizers. You may be aware that Zimbabwe has been under sanctions for 20 years and our economy has been devastated by these sanctions, making it very difficult for young people to find jobs after they graduate.”

He challenged young people to think big and consider becoming entrepreneurs in their own right.

“Remember, young people make up about 67% of our population and in terms of voters, I think that figure is also over 60%. This is why we are trying by all means to have serious engagement with young people wherever they are,” he said.