In light of efforts to fight substance abuse among the youth in the country, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has trained Senior High School (SHS) Guidance and Counseling Coordinators on School-Based Drug Prevention at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
The training exercise was organised by Eastern Regional Command (ERC) of NACOC in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and Promasidor Ghana as part of the 2026 World Drug Day Commemoration
According to NACOC, the exercise forms part of the activities marking the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, World Drug Day, under the theme ’’The World Drug Problem, Persisting Problems, New Challenges And Innovative Response”.
The trainees were taken through the emerging drug trends, early warning signs of substance abuse, counseling and intervention strategies, referral mechanisms, and practical approaches to strengthening school-based prevention initiatives.
Addressing the participants, the Eastern Regional Commander of NACOC, PNCO Philomina Obenewaa Sackar, expressed that the increasing challenge of substance abuse among young people requires a coordinated and proactive response from all sectors of society.
She noted that Guidance and Counseling Coordinators hold a unique and strategic position within our educational institutions, and they are often the first professionals to identify students who may be struggling with behavioral, emotional, social, or drug-related challenges.
Touching on the theme for the conference, “Strengthening School-Based Drug Prevention through Effective Guidance and Counseling,” he stressed the importance of our collective commitment to empowering educational professionals with the knowledge and skills required to address the evolving drug situation confronting our youth.
Madam Obenewaa also said NACOC recognizes that effective drug prevention begins long before enforcement actions become necessary.
She said prevention starts with “awareness creation, education, early intervention, and the provision of appropriate support systems for vulnerable individuals.”
“Hence, Schools remain one of the most effective platforms for delivering these interventions,” she added.
In a brief remark, the Deputy Eastern Regional Director of GES, Benjamin Narh, commended NACOC for this initiative to empower guidance and counseling coordinators within the Region.
He said drug dealers and users have advanced in their concealment methods by embedding illicit substances into everyday students’ items such as wee toffees, wee shito, and wee sobolo.
Mr. Narh observed that school authorities must advance alongside these changes to protect students from the destruction of substance abuse.
Present at the conference were: the Eastern Regional Commander of NACOC, PNCO Philomina Obenewaa Sackar, the Deputy Eastern Regional Director of GES, Mr. Benjamin Narh, officers from NACOC, the head of Eastern Regional Guidance and Counseling, Mr Prince Justice Adusu, the head of New Juaben South Guidance and Counseling, Mr. Richard Ayensu, as well as the Guidance and Counseling Coordinators.
