By Theresa Kef Sesay
Lovetta Sankoh, the Founder and Counselor of Superseding Grace Counseling Services (SGCS) admonished young and elderly people to abstain from misusing drugs or using illegal drugs saying doing so have the potential to destroy their destinies.
“Drug abuse can kill destiny,” she said, adding that drug abuse is currently a pandemic in our society furthering how statistics have proven that one in four deaths is as a result of drugs abuse. She again stated that more than seven million people are currently suffering as a result of drugs abuse disclosing how Superseding Grace Counseling Services (SGCS) believes in using God’s words in counseling young people so that they can contribute meaningfully to society. She added that they believe that young people are potential change agents of society.
“If you don’t believe in yourself who would,” Madam Lovetta Sankoh asked rhetorically, adding by quoting Philippians 4:6 which says “Be careful for nothing, but in everything you do in prayer and supplication, make your request known to God Almighty with thanksgiving”.
She therefore called on young people to discover their true purpose in life, adding that by so doing they will discover their true purpose in life. Madam Lovetta defines a man or a woman of purpose as someone who wakes up early in the morning goes out there to do something that is useful. She said that the misuse of Tramadol is very harmful to someone’s health, adding that drug abuse can kill someone’s destiny.
She prayed for drug abuse to go down in Sierra Leone, adding that many young people with great destinies have lost their lives as a result of drug abuse. She went on to say that Superseding Grace Counseling Services (SGCS) offers free counseling services stating that their office is situated at No.2 Peter Lane, Campbell Street in Freetown.
She therefore called on people to give out support to the Counseling center and help the to teach young and elderly people to abstain from using illegal or harmful drugs.
Professor Joe. A.D Alie, Dean of Post Graduate Studies Fourah Bay College said that one of the ways to tackle the abuse of drugs is through awareness raising programs, adding that engaging youths at Ataya base and other places will help a lot in raising their awareness on the harmful effects of drugs abuse in the country. He went on to say that peer group counseling is also very important, adding that it will help to figure out why many of them get themselves involve in anti-social behavior. He said that perhaps, they might even proffer solutions. Professor Alie went on to say that government needs to come up with specific programs like jobs creation program to engage the youth.
“There is no short cut to progress and where there is a will there is a way,” said Professor Alie. He encouraged young people not to lose hope by using harmful drugs as it is not a solution to their problems.
Doctor Amos Mani Boima of Blue Shield Hospital in Freetown said there are so much problems attached to the abuse of drugs, adding that drug abuse can lead to fighting and stabbing of someone to death. He said that because of the misuse of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine many young people are currently suffering with lot of health complications that might lead to death. He disclosed that the abuse of drugs can lead to hypertension and stroke. He applauded Superseding Grace Counseling Services (SGCS) for taking the lead in raising awareness on drugs abuse.
