As addiction is turning out to be the major problem among the youth across Ethiopia, it needs the involvement of quite a lot of stakeholders in a bid to arrest the problem, the Ethiopian Herald learnt. Dr. Lia Tadesse, the State Minister of Health said, “Wherever we go, we come across youngsters chewing Khat and smoking.
They spend their precious time pointlessly. They start to lose the taste of life. As the youth are the seeds of tomorrow all stakeholders should attach significance to them targeting at making their future brighter. She continued: “Every parent must take the lion’s share in preventing addiction surfacing across the country seeing that nipping the problem in the bud plays a major role in preventing the spread of addiction across the country.
Above and beyond, parents have to make a point to give clearer picture to their children regarding addiction problems and its sideeffects. If not, they will get off the track and parents’ effort will go for nothing.
Dr. Tilayea Getea, the FDRE Minster of Education for his part said, “Closing down Khat houses found across Ethiopia and in the neighborhood of higher learning institutions alone cannot help contain the spread of addiction. Bringing into play a widearray of strategies, concerned bodies should be able to raise awareness pertaining to addiction. He went on to say, “In higher learning institutions the whole lot concerning addiction and its repercussions should be incorporated so that students can sort the sheep from goats.
Furthermore, every parent must know everything about addictive substances. Elias kalayu, the founding father of Meqoamia (NGO) for his part said, “All Ethiopians should work hand-in-glove to wipe out addiction and its ill-effects with a view to putting aside today’s and tomorrow’s generation of Ethiopia. what is more, parents and children should be able to discuss the problem of addiction and its consequences in their lives.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 2/2018
BY MUSSA MUHAMMED
