Drug abuse among adolescents is an escalating concern in Ghana, affecting health, education, and social well-being, and presenting challenges for ministries of the Church of Pentecost, particularly the Home and Urban Ministry (HUM) and Counselling Ministry (CoPCOM). Adolescence is a critical stage marked by experimentation, peer influence, and risk-taking, which makes young people vulnerable to early substance use. Psychoactive substances—including alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco—have become increasingly prevalent among learners, driven by curiosity, peer pressure, academic stress, and family-related factors. Early, school-based interventions are therefore essential to curb this trend.
In response, Elder Benjamin Asamoah, a counselling psychologist in the Agormanya Area, initiated learner-centered psychoeducational programs across two centres: Labolabo and Adjena, in collaboration with local Child Development Centres. At Labolabo, sessions were held on 20th February for Junior High School learners and on 14th March for Senior High School learners, while at Adjena, Primary to JHS learners participated on 19th March. These programs engaged students actively, using group tasks, poetry, song composition, and speech writing to reinforce understanding of drug abuse, its causes, and consequences.
The sessions emphasized the definition of drug abuse, commonly used substances, and the academic, psychological, and neurocognitive effects of substance use. Learners explored how peer pressure, environmental stressors, and curiosity contribute to drug use, and they reflected creatively on strategies for resistance. Through these interactive methods, students demonstrated heightened awareness of the dangers of substance abuse, improved communication skills, teamwork, and confidence, highlighting the effectiveness of participatory and learner-centered approaches.
The intervention also underscored the role of the Church in preventive education. By addressing cognitive and psychological impacts of substance use, the programs not only informed learners but equipped them with skills to resist harmful behaviors. Such initiatives affirm research showing that early school-based interventions are among the most effective strategies for reducing adolescent drug use in Ghana.
Elder Asamoah’s initiative calls on the Church of Pentecost to strengthen collaboration among its specialized ministries—including HUM, CoPCOM, Schools Outreach Ministry (SoM), and the Workers Guild (PWeG)—to intensify school-based and church-led interventions. As Ghana observes international campaigns such as the International Day Against Drug Abuse, the Church is positioned to lead holistic, faith-based prevention efforts, equipping young people to make healthy, life-giving choices and advancing God’s mission of nurturing disciplined, responsible, and morally upright citizens.
This learner-focused approach demonstrates that when the Church actively engages schools, it can play a pivotal role in shaping a drug-free generation while exemplifying Christ-centered care and community transformation.
Written by Benjamin Asamoah (Counselling Psychologist, Agormanya Area, Adjena District)
