Steven Klukowski

KEETMANSHOOP – The residents of Lüderitz have vowed to tackle the issue of drug abuse at the coastal town. 

Concerned residents as well as the police and relevant stakeholders gathered recently to brainstorm on how to curb the rising abuse of drugs.

Speaking at the meeting, !Nami#Nus constituency councillor Jan Scholtz urged community members to be more vigilant in their fight against drugs. “Take the responsibility and report suspected drug dealers to the law enforcement agencies,” he strongly advised.

The regional councillor then raised the concern that these persons who are selling drugs illegally are in the process breaking down the community. “They don’t differentiate when it comes to lobbying vulnerable customers, even children whose futures are getting destroyed in the process,” Scholtz noted with worry.  
He further reasoned that community members are usually the first people to observe these illegal activities in their homes, backyards and surroundings. As a result, the constituency councillor felt that through civil policing, residents can make a difference in lowering these substance abuses. “You should consider establishing neighbourhood-watch groups in order to assist the police in curbing this social evil,” he urged the group.

Scholtz in addition said these culprits are mostly making use of vulnerable women and children to carry out their evil dealings. “You, especially the mothers of our community should therefore left no stone untouched in order to bring these destroyers of the community to book, so that justice can prevail,” Scholtz said.

During this meeting, it has been resolved to conduct similar meetings in conjunction with stakeholder activities addressing these social problems on a regular basis. Awareness programmes and workshops should furthermore be held at local schools as a measure of fighting drug abuse amongst children.

At the same gathering, it came to light that cannabis and mandrax are the most commonly used drugs in the town whereby two- to- three cases are reported per month. Statistics also indicated that 35 arrests have been made since the start of last year in connection with drug abuse or dealing in it. 
–sklukowski@nepc.com.na