UWR: Minister Launches Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force, calls for collective action against drug menace

The Upper West Regional Minister, Lawyer Charles Lwanga Puozuing, has inaugurated a 15-member Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force aimed at tackling the surge of illicit drug use.

The newly formed task force, chaired by Upper West Regional Police Commander DCOP Mr Darko Offei Lomotey, is made up of representatives from the Narcotics Control Commission, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), traditional authorities, the regional Chief Imam, the Over-the-Counter Medicine Sellers Association, and other key institutions.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, Mr Puozuing described the initiative as a "citizen-centred response to an ageing threat of drug abuse," emphasizing that the goal is not only to punish offenders but also to prevent and rehabilitate users.

“This task force is not a replacement for state security institutions,” the Minister stated.

“It is a strategic complement, deepening community involvement and grassroots accountability in tackling narcotics challenges.”

He outlined a four-point directive for the team: to identify, arrest, prosecute, and rehabilitate drug users; to unite communities, leaders, and institutions in the fight against drug abuse; to inspire parental awareness, civil reporting, and community policing; and to demonstrate that united community efforts can drive meaningful and inevitable change.

Members of the Upper West Region Anti Drug Abuse Task Force in a photo with Regional Minister and Reg. Coordinating Director

Mr Puozuing also outlined five key outcomes the region expects from the task force: a region-wide holistic fight, a significant reduction in drug abuse, a citizen-led model of governance, restored trust in law enforcement, and a new culture that stigmatizes the act of drug abuse—not the victims.

“Let this not be just another ceremonial event. Let this be your covenant with the people of Upper West,” the Minister added.

DCOP Mr Darko Offei Lomotey, Chairman of the task force, assured the Minister and the public of the task force’s competence and readiness to fight the drug menace.