Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II, Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area and Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, has issued a strong call to action for authorities to intensify efforts against the growing menace of illicit drug use, particularly among the youth.
Speaking through his secretary, Neripewura Panfia Kipson, during the climax of the 2025 Buipe Damba Festival (BUDAFEST), the Buipewura turned the cultural celebration into a platform for urgent advocacy. He warned that drug abuse is silently eroding the future of Ghana’s younger generation.
The chief lamented the rising consumption of substances such as red snuff, shisha, and other narcotics among young people in the Savannah Region. He described the situation as an “iron cloud” gripping adolescents with alarming intensity.
He therefore called on lawmakers, security agencies, and traditional leaders to come together to assess the growing problem and strictly enforce narcotics laws across the country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, highlighted economic opportunities within the region, particularly the potential of the Buipe shea nut factory. She noted that the factory aligns with the government’s 24-hour economy initiative and assured residents of Central Gonja of continued support for local industrialization efforts.
The minister also announced plans to upgrade the Buipe weekly market into a daily trading hub. This initiative, she said, would be carried out in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu Constituency, John Abdulai Jinapor, as part of broader efforts to stimulate economic growth in the district.
