"Red means stop" – RNAQ Foundation backs Youth Ministry’s Ffght against opioid abuse

Founder of the Richard Nii Armah Quaye (RNAQ) Foundation, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, has thrown his weight behind the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment’s campaign to curb opioid abuse among Ghana’s youth, declaring, “Red means stop.”

During a courtesy call on the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment on Tuesday, Mr. Quaye pledged the Foundation’s unwavering support for the Ministry’s anti-drug initiatives, describing the growing opioid menace as a “national threat” that must be confronted head-on.

“As a nation, our youth are our goldmine, and the economic fortunes of Ghana depend on them,” he said. “We cannot sit idle and allow drug abuse to rob our country of its future.”

Mr. Quaye, who employs over 4,000 young Ghanaians with an average age of 26, warned that Ghana risks following the trajectory of other African countries already grappling with severe drug addiction crises.

Drawing from his business experience across the continent, he cited Sierra Leone as an example, noting how opioid abuse has impaired the productivity and well-being of young workers.

To support the fight, the RNAQ Foundation presented GH¢500,000 to the Ministry, reinforcing its commitment to social justice and youth empowerment.

The Foundation, known for creating thousands of jobs and establishing community food banks to support the unemployed and vulnerable, aims to address the root causes of drug dependence in deprived areas.

“Neglected communities often turn to drugs for comfort,” Mr. Quaye explained.

"By ensuring they have access to basic needs like food, we can reduce the pressure that drives many into addiction.”

Minister for Youth Empowerment and Development, George Opare Addo, on his lart noted that Ghana cannot effectively confront the growing menace of drug and opioid abuse without first understanding its root causes.

“We cannot address a problem properly when we don’t have a proper understanding of what the root cause is,” he stressed.

“We need to get to the root cause and understand what the numbers look like.”

The Minister revealed that his outfit has commissioned a credible research organization to investigate the extent of substance abuse in secondary schools, universities, and urban communities, where concerns have been mounting.

“There are a lot of rumors about most of our tertiary institutions, but we don’t have the data to back it,” Lawyer Addo explained.

"Concrete evidence is essential for designing interventions that actually work.”

The Foundation was commended for its wide-ranging youth initiatives, including entrepreneurship support and food bank programs serving deprived communities nationwide.

Lawyer Addo warned that the drug crisis poses a threat to every family, regardless of status.

“You may be very comfortable living in your house with high walls protecting you, but you may have a son or daughter in school, and you don’t know when it will strike close to home,” he cautioned.

He called on social media influencers to dedicate their platforms to spreading drug abuse awareness instead of “unproductive content,” while urging corporate bodies and philanthropists to contribute to the fight.

In addition to the anti-drug campaign, the Ministry plans to roll out a series of youth-centered programs this month, including health insurance registration drives and a potential youth carnival, depending on the national security climate.

On her part, Chief Director of the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Mrs. Emma Ofori Agyemang, endorsed the Minister’s call for support from all well-meaning partners.

She stressed that such collaboration is vital to tackling challenges facing the youth.

She reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to partner with Ghanaians to promote the health and well-being of young people, enhance their skills, education, and training, improve access to decent jobs, and encourage active civic and community participation.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith