The Upper West Regional Minister, Lawyer Charles Lwanga Puozuing, has proposed the introduction of a night curfew for persons under 18 as part of sweeping measures to combat growing drug abuse in the region.
The proposal was made during a meeting with Wa West MP Peter Lanchene Toobu, the District Chief Executive, and other key stakeholders in the Wa West District. Both the Minister and the MP jointly called for decisive action to address the increasing drug menace among the youth while also tackling the district’s pressing development challenges.
Describing the threat of drug abuse as comparable to the dangers of illegal mining (galamsey), the Minister said the issue had reached crisis levels and demanded urgent intervention. He disclosed that a special task force, inaugurated on May 28, 2025, is already working on a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate drug users and dismantle supply networks.
One of the measures being considered is a curfew for minors under 18, during which police would detain those found outside between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. until their parents or guardians arrived.
Acknowledging that such a policy could face pushback from human rights advocates, the Minister defended its necessity.
“We cannot allow a 12-year-old girl to be involved in prostitution or have children roaming the streets at night because of drug abuse,” he said.
He further revealed that authorities are actively tracking individuals engaged in the wholesale and retail of illicit substances, as well as working to disrupt their transportation routes into the region.
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