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Home / Youth, be cautious with love, drugs and alcohol – Sioka
Youth, be cautious with love, drugs and alcohol – Sioka
2016-07-06Staff Report 2 Keetmanshoop Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare Doreen Sioka says most youth are not capable of handling love, drugs and alcohol. She says although some young people use drugs, drink alcohol and are in intimate relationships, they are mentally fragile and unable to handle the consequences that may arise because of these three pastimes. Speaking at an occasion where she recently handed over equipment worth N$173 000 sponsored by her ministry to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at Keetmanshoop, Sioka said in no undertain terms that drugs and alcohol are contributing factors to the escalating number of gender based violence (GBV) cases. She further said many youth are involved in love relationships but do not know how to handle relationships and end up killing their partners when things do not go well in the relationship. She added that the situation of GBV is worsened when alcohol is involved, as people get so intoxicated they do not realise what they are doing, as alcohol takes control of their minds and bodies. “You drink excessively. You don’t drink responsibly. You can’t handle alcohol and you can’t handle love,” she remarked. Sioka further said some young men are quick to abuse their partners, especially when they are intoxicated, saying whenever their partners refuse them sex they do not accept it and are quick to gather sticks or bottles to kill their partners in response. She also cautioned the Keetmanshoop community to be on the lookout for bogus churches who are misleading and exploiting people, saying pastors from outside Namibia are blatantly misleading and preying on vulnerable Namibians. “There was a pastor who got a million dollars from Namibia, but no one has been healed until now. So, be careful,” she warned. She called on residents of the southern town to get involved in the development of their town, saying only they can truly develop their town. She also urged young folk with economically viable projects and business ideas, who are seeking start-up funds to contact her ministry for support though the income-generating projects scheme. 2016-07-06Staff Report 2
