Kumasi: Willingway Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre Leads Anti-Drug Campaign Walk

The Willingway Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre organized a powerful campaign walk against drug abuse at Jubilee Park, Kumasi, with the primary goal of raising awareness and preventing drug addiction, especially among the youth.

Key Highlights of the Event:
Community Engagement: The event attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, including:
Renowned musicians Akosua Agyapong and Okomfour Kwadee
Representatives from the Ghana Fire Service
Military personnel
Students
Members of the Willingway Foundation
Leadership Voice: During an interview with OTEC FM’s Elizabeth Gyamfuaa Fosu (Akosuah Sunday) on Friday, August 22, 2025, the Founder of Willingway, Maame Lydia Owusu Ansah, emphasized the urgent need to intensify public education on the dangers of drug abuse.

Key Messages from Maame Lydia Owusu Ansah:
Prevention over Rehabilitation:
"While rehabilitation is crucial, prevention is far more effective in safeguarding our youth from falling into drug addiction."
Call to Action:
"Drug abuse destroys lives and families. Ghana must act proactively before addiction becomes an uncontrollable crisis."

Advice from Okomfour Kwadee (Jeremy Anaba):
Youth Focus:
The acclaimed hiplife artist urged young people to stay away from hard drugs that can destroy their futures.
Positive Alternatives:
He emphasized the importance of focusing on talents, education, and healthy lifestyle choices, warning that drug abuse only leads to pain, regret, and wasted potential.

National Security Concern:
In an interview with Evans Agyei Sikapa during the “Ghana Against Red” campaign, Okomfour Kwadee described the rising trend of substance abuse as a “worrying threat to national security”.
“The recent increase in substance abuse is alarming. If unchecked, our youth’s future may become bleak.”
Call to Youth:
He urged young people to resist drugs, highlighting that addiction destroys lives and future prospects.

Remarks from Mrs. Lydia Abena Manu Adofo (CEO, Willingway):
Concern for National Development:
She expressed concern that unchecked drug abuse could render investments in Ghana’s youth meaningless.
Need for Supportive Infrastructure:
More rehabilitation centers should be established.
Private facilities should receive government support to expand their capacity.
Community Acceptance & Education:
Public acceptance of recovering addicts is vital to prevent stigmatization, which often pushes them back into drug use.
Educational campaigns should be intensified in schools, communities, and religious institutions to raise awareness of drug dangers.
Collaborative Effort:
She called on health authorities, security agencies, and civil society to collaborate in reducing access to harmful substances.
Role of Families:
She urged parents and guardians to:
Pay close attention to their children
Maintain open communication
Provide emotional support
Neglect at the family level can create vulnerabilities to peer pressure and drug use.
Policy Action:
Concluding, Mrs. Adofo stressed that drug abuse must be treated as a national emergency, requiring urgent and practical measures to prevent a public health crisis.

In Summary:
The campaign walk underscores the critical need for prevention through awareness.
Stakeholders are calling for a collaborative, multi-sectoral approach to combat drug abuse.
The future of Ghana’s youth depends on proactive efforts to educate, support, and protect them from the dangers of drug addiction.

The Willingway recovery and rehabilitation centre has organized a campaign walk against drug abuse at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi, aimed at raising awareness and preventing drug addiction, especially among the youth.Together, we can make a difference!

Choose Health, Not Drugs

About

Willingway Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre is a private health Treatment facility that provides excellent Services in the lives of Drug Users
The Organization was founded in the year 2011 in Ghana as a Rehabilitation centre for Substance use disorders and mentally Challenged people .