SPEAKING when he addressed the nation on the progress made in the application of national values and principles on Friday, President Hakainde Hichilema listed alcohol and substance abuse among social vices that Government found very concerning.
Mr Hichilema said alcohol and substance abuse negatively impacts families and national productivity and that it has contributed to an increase in junkies.
And speaking just a day earlier during the launch of the SayNoToJunta campaign in Lusaka, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo bemoaned the high intake of illicit alcohol in the country which he said is leading to a rise in deviant behaviours among youths.
Mr Nkombo said there is need to curb alcohol abuse in the country and bring normalcy.
Clearly, alcohol abuse, particularly the consumption of illicit beverages, has reached a critical point. It is a problem that we can no longer ignore as a country as it is eating away at the very fabric of society.
In 2018, The Euromonitor Report ranked Zambia as a country with the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the southern African region ahead of South Africa, which stood in second position.
And since 2018, we have not recorded a reduction in the abuse of alcohol. Instead, we have seen an escalation in the trend. Added to the usual problem of alcohol abuse, we have seen an increase in the consumption of illicit drugs and beer.
The fact that we have a big problem on our hands can no longer be denied.
We can no longer bury our head in the sand and pretend that all is well.
The problem of alcohol and substance abuse is one we cannot mask any more. Its effects are now manifesting.
Cases of defilement, gender-based violence, burglaries and muggings at the hands of ‘junkies’ are increasing.
These crimes not only inflict physical and emotional harm on individuals, but also negatively impact society as a whole.
Additionally, the lack of productivity resulting from high alcohol consumption robs the nation of its potential for growth and development.
It is encouraging to see President Hichilema and Mr Nkombo taking a proactive stance on this issue and recognising the detrimental effects that unchecked alcohol consumption can impose on communities.
We believe that the political will that the New Dawn government has exhibited in curbing alcohol abuse and its attendant problems will result in a soberer country that is capable of driving economic development.
We call on law enforcement agencies to match the President’s political will to stem alcohol abuse.
We stand with the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus in its call to Government to enforce laws which prohibit the illegal sale of alcohol to curb abuse and protect lives.
As its national chaplain Charles Searson observes, it is regrettable and painful to witness vulnerable children being exposed to alcohol abuse at a tender age.
Local authorities should indeed “play an active role by stopping the illegal sale of alcohol on streets and in communities”.
Indeed, alcohol abuse does not only affect individuals.
“Families are suffering due to excessive alcohol intake and abuse of drugs by parents and that this is also contributing to the high rate of divorce cases.
In fact, the effect of alcohol abuse extends beyond the family. It is a societal problem. This is why “we need to work together and ensure that the trend of alcohol and substance abuse in our country is reversed”.
As a nation guided by strong national values and principles, it is crucial that we address the causes of alcohol abuse and implement effective strategies to curb this destructive behaviour.
Together we can overcome the challenges posed by alcohol abuse and build a more prosperous and secure society.
Together we can curb alcohol abuse
SPEAKING when he addressed the nation on the progress made in the application of national values and principles on Friday, President Hakainde Hichilema listed alcohol and substance abuse among social vices that Government found very concerning.
Mr Hichilema said alcohol and substance abuse negatively impacts families and national productivity and that it has contributed to an increase in junkies.
And speaking just a day earlier during the launch of the SayNoToJunta campaign in Lusaka, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo bemoaned the high intake of illicit alcohol in the country which he said is leading to a rise in deviant behaviours among youths.
Mr Nkombo said there is need to curb alcohol abuse in the country and bring normalcy.
Clearly, alcohol abuse, particularly the consumption of illicit beverages, has reached a critical point. It is a problem that we can no longer ignore as a country as it is eating away at the very fabric of society.
In 2018, The Euromonitor Report ranked Zambia as a country with the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the southern African region ahead of South Africa, which stood in second position.
And since 2018, we have not recorded a reduction in the abuse of alcohol. Instead, we have seen an escalation in the trend. Added to the usual problem of alcohol abuse, we have seen an increase in the consumption of illicit drugs and beer.
The fact that we have a big problem on our hands can no longer be denied.
We can no longer bury our head in the sand and pretend that all is well.
The problem of alcohol and substance abuse is one we cannot mask any more. Its effects are now manifesting.
Cases of defilement, gender-based violence, burglaries and muggings at the hands of ‘junkies’ are increasing.
These crimes not only inflict physical and emotional harm on individuals, but also negatively impact society as a whole.
Additionally, the lack of productivity resulting from high alcohol consumption robs the nation of its potential for growth and development.
It is encouraging to see President Hichilema and Mr Nkombo taking a proactive stance on this issue and recognising the detrimental effects that unchecked alcohol consumption can impose on communities.
We believe that the political will that the New Dawn government has exhibited in curbing alcohol abuse and its attendant problems will result in a soberer country that is capable of driving economic development.
We call on law enforcement agencies to match the President’s political will to stem alcohol abuse.
We stand with the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus in its call to Government to enforce laws which prohibit the illegal sale of alcohol to curb abuse and protect lives.
As its national chaplain Charles Searson observes, it is regrettable and painful to witness vulnerable children being exposed to alcohol abuse at a tender age.
Local authorities should indeed “play an active role by stopping the illegal sale of alcohol on streets and in communities”.
Indeed, alcohol abuse does not only affect individuals.
“Families are suffering due to excessive alcohol intake and abuse of drugs by parents and that this is also contributing to the high rate of divorce cases.
In fact, the effect of alcohol abuse extends beyond the family. It is a societal problem. This is why “we need to work together and ensure that the trend of alcohol and substance abuse in our country is reversed”.
As a nation guided by strong national values and principles, it is crucial that we address the causes of alcohol abuse and implement effective strategies to curb this destructive behaviour.
Together we can overcome the challenges posed by alcohol abuse and build a more prosperous and secure society.