Radio Progress News first radio station in the Upper West Region
Mr. Nuhu Rafiq Takono, a Senior Pharmacist Technician and a former drug addict at Gwollu Health Centre has called on the society stop stigma against drug addicts.
According to him, he has now established a youth advocacy foundation in the Region to fight stigma against persons into drug abuse.
Mr. Rafiq Takono sharing his experiences as a drug addict revealed that, he started substance abuse at age 16 years after been influenced by a friend due to family neglect and limitations in society.
He also added that, he was forced to drop out of school to search for his own daily meals as a truck pusher on the street till he met some stakeholders’ who changed his life by advising him to go back to school.
The Senior Pharmacist at the Gwollu Health Centre noted that, he adhered to the advises given to him and later got himself enrolled into form 1 class at Fongo E/A JHS where he was performing greatly and was been promoted to join his colleagues’ students to seat in for BECE examination.
He explained that, in 2014, he completed T.I Ahmadiyya SHS with the passion of becoming a teacher or an agriculturalist.
Mr. Nuhu Takono also disclosed that, he was later offered admission into Dr. Hilla Liman Technical University to study PHD in pharmacy after successfully passing his WASSCE exams in 2014.
He said while in school, he was awarded as the best student and of which the Wa Municipal Assembly supported his one-year school fees whiles he also got funding support from the student loan trust fund to enable him achieve his educational dream.
He therefore called on the youth to desist from substance abuse and as well as adhere to advises from members in their various societies.
