Stay away from drugs and crime least you destroy your lives - Governor Jama to Garissa Youth

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has urged young people in the area to abstain from drug and substance abuse, as well as engaging in crime, if they want to have a bright future.

While presiding over an award ceremony honouring the best performers of the 2024/25 FKF county league season in Garissa, Jama said the youth are the future of the country and therefore should not engage in self-ruin.

“As I stand before you here today to officiate this final after a successful tournament, I would want to use this opportunity to address the biggest problem that we are currently grappling with as a society: the elephant in the room, which is the use of drugs and substance abuse among our youth,” he said.

He urged youth to take up sports seriously as a means of staying away from the vices, adding that structured recreational activities like football build character and foster community cohesion.

Sports offer a better path, Jama noted, as the values learnt on the field – including teamwork, dedication, fair play and resilience – are the same that lead to success in life.

“When you choose football over drugs, or education over crime, you’re not just scoring goals on the field; you’re scoring for your family, your community and your future,” he said.

Jama said the use of drugs and substance abuse has contributed to an increase in the crime rate, which can be corrected through a collaborative effort from all stakeholders.

The county has initiated programmes aimed at not only addressing the issue of unemployment but also establishing a county revolving fund where young people can borrow money and start businesses to empower themselves economically.

His administration has also invested heavily in TVETs, the governor said, while calling on the youth to embrace skilled training, which he noted was a viable path to employability and self-reliance.

Garissa has faced significant challenges related to drug and substance abuse, with the menace only getting worse in recent years.

Bhang, cocaine and miraa are among the most abused drugs, making the county fall on Nacada's list of areas affected by the menace.

Despite Garissa being predominantly Muslim (where alcohol is prohibited), underground consumption exists, often involving dangerous illicit brews.

Abuse of drugs like diazepam and codeine, which are prescription-only, has also been on the increase.

So dire is the situation that Nacada, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, in February, organised a major stakeholders' conference to discuss the matter and come up with tangible solutions.

Last December, leaders from the county organised a leadership conference at Garissa University under the theme 'Our Youth: Our Future'. 

The conference sought to come up with solutions to the societal vices affecting the youth.