Drug and alcohol abuse in Ghana is prevalent and devastating in terms of loss of life and the knock-on effect on societies. In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons that substance abuse in Ghana is such a widespread problem. 

The West African country of Ghana has a population of around 31 million people, and is known for its lush forests and diverse wildlife. However, despite this amazing scenery, there is an epidemic that plagues the country; its widespread substance abuse problems.

Drug cultivation and distribution in Ghana is a relatively recent problem, in comparison to other countries. So, for those charged with being concerned in the production of drugs, they are joined by a select few people in the country who make a living from this industry.

With this drug production must come an abuse of drugs by people. The question is, how widespread is the drug problem in Ghana, and what are the reasons behind this use of drugs? We posit some potential answers, here…

The Stats Behind Drugs in Ghana

A 2019 report revealed that around 10 percent of inpatient cases at state funded psychiatric hospitals – and up to 30 percent of outpatient cases – were linked to substance abuse. These alarming figures are expected to rise within the next 12 months.

Substance abuse within Ghana results in around 542 deaths every year – making up 0.27 percent of the country’s overall deaths. A significant number of these deaths are attributed to Tramadol, a super strength painkiller designed to treat serious illnesses and injuries.

The reasons for the substance abuse problems in Ghana are many-fold and, here, we’ll examine some of the factors which contribute to this deadly issue.

6 Reasons Why Substance Abuse in Ghana is Widespread

Lack of regulation

Unlike many other countries, Ghana’s lack of regulations over drugs such as Tramadol means that these substances are more widely available than they should be. It’s relatively easy to ship drugs into Ghana, and this is often done in broad daylight with canoes used to ship drugs from South America straight into Accra.

Adding to the problem is the fact that Ghana’s policy on illegal drugs tends to blame the user rather than the seller. This means that drug users are arrested rather than being offered help. In the meantime, authorities have little interest in going after those charged with being concerned in the production of drugs who are perpetuating the problem.

Photo by Nathaniel Tetteh

Poverty

While it may be a cliche, poverty and unemployment play a big part in Ghana’s drug abuse problem, with many people stating that the hopelessness of their situation was the trigger for their descent into drug addiction. In 2021, the international poverty rate in Ghana stood at a staggering 11 percent, with unemployment at around 4.53 percent.

There’s very little doubt that these figures are a major factor when it comes to the levels of substance abuse, particularly for young people. Unfortunately, when it comes to the drug trade in Ghana, the only people who profit are those charged with drug production.

Peer pressure

As with most societies, a lot of Ghana’s problems arise from peer pressure – particularly among students at colleges and universities where alcohol is widely advertised. Although Ghana has launched a number of educational initiatives in recent years in terms of drug and alcohol abuse, the mixed messaging from glamorous alcohol advertising means that young people remain a large part of Ghana’s substance problem. A form of peer pressure also comes from families whereby drugs and alcohol have simply been part of a child’s life from birth.

Religion

The population of Ghana is made up of a number of different religions, including Christianity, and many of these religions forbid or discourage the use of drugs and alcohol. For example, Christianity does not forbid alcohol but frowns on drunkenness.

A problem arises in the fact that some extreme religions in Ghana promote the use of drugs, such as hash and peyote as a tool with which to achieve a heightened spiritual state. This can lead to huge problems with young people who associate their religious rulings as set in stone.

Ignorance

Another common factor when it comes to substance abuse is simple ignorance. While those brought up in Ghana’s cities, such as Accra and Kumasi, are likely to be aware of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, those from smaller towns and villages do not have access to the same educational materials as city dwellers. Often, people from villages will travel to larger towns to find work, only to find themselves being offered illegal drugs within hours of their arrival, and addiction quickly follows.

Cost of treatment

One of the most harmful factors – and one which exacerbates the issues – is that of the cost of substance abuse treatment. For some, it is simply beyond the means of most people in Ghana. This tends to lead to a vicious cycle whereby the user spirals further and further into addiction and debt due to the fact that they can see no other viable way out.

Photo by Jay Martin

Looking to the Future of Drug Abuse in Ghana

Substance abuse in Ghana is rapidly approaching pandemic levels and, unfortunately, many more lives will be lost to this issue, destroying families and corroding societies. With a lack of governmental help, many feel that the answer to the problem lies first within families. As is customary with other kinds of education, it’s felt that family elders should be educating children as to the dangers of abuse.

However, this becomes less straightforward when the elders themselves are involved with drugs. Others feel that schools need to be doing more to educate about the dangers, however, only around 39 percent of children of secondary school age actually attend school in Ghana.

As with so many other things, it may come down to the internet and the media to turn around Ghana’s substance abuse problems by educating the youth.

Divorce is stressful enough, but can feel considerably harder if you have to apply for an international divorce. So that you understand whether it is right for you, in this article, we are going to provide five factors to first consider before getting an international divorce.

 International divorce can be a complex matter, so it is worth seeking somewhere that offers a free divorce consultation to help you understand the ins and outs of it, first and foremost. But, before seeking this advice, perhaps it’s best you know what you’re in for?

So that you have more of an understanding of what an international divorce is and the considerations that should be made before getting one, we have listed five factors for you to be aware of. Read on to learn more…

What Is an International Divorce?

An international divorce can be applied for, for many different circumstances. It could be due to the following reasons:

• You and your ex have different nationalities
• You or your ex live abroad for work
• You and your ex live in different countries

What Are The 5 Factors You Should Consider Before Getting an International Divorce?

1.    You Can Only Get a Divorce in a Country That Recognises Your Marriage

Unfortunately, some countries do not recognise a marriage that has taken place in a different country. For example, if you were in a same sex relationship and legally got married in the UK, your marriage would not be legally recognised in Poland. If they are the two countries you have a personal connection to, you will only be able to get divorced in the UK.

2.    You Have to Show You or Your Ex Has a Connection with The Country you Want to Apply for a Divorce In

In order for you to be able to divorce in a country, you must be able to show that you or your ex has a connection to it, and this can be through a number of ways, including:

• You or your ex are a ‘national’ of that country – acquired by birth, your parents, adoption, and in some countries, marriage is considered.
• You or your ex are ‘habitually resident’ in that country – when you regularly live in the country, by being either settled in the country or planning to stay there a while. It could be for work, study, etc.
• You or your ex are being ‘domiciled’ in that country – where your permanent home is.

It is wise to keep in mind that certain countries might have more requirements to determine that you are personally connected to the country. A solicitor will be able to provide accurate advice regarding this, which leads to our next factor; that you should consider a solicitor.

Should you need additional assistance regarding connection to a country, Advice Now can provide further information and meaning behind nationality, habitual residence and domicile.

3.    Consider an International Divorce Solicitor

One consideration that you should be doing before starting an international divorce is deciding whether you need a solicitor to assist you with the proceedings. In most instances, we would recommend you do get one, because an international divorce is more complicated than a standard divorce.

There are international divorce solicitors up and down the country, so you will be able to find the perfect one for you and your circumstances. Most tend to offer video conferencing so you can contact them from wherever you are located.

4.    Workout Which Country Will Give You the Best Outcome

It is essential that you understand that divorce legislation can vary from country to country. One rule might not apply in another country. So, it is important to consider which country you want to divorce in, and these can only be countries that you have a connection with.

Once you have realised that countries legislations vary, you need to consider the country that would work better for you in hopes that you get the best outcome possible for yourself. There is the potential that the following things will be different from country to country:

• Financial orders the court will make.
• The costs involved in divorce.
• How long the divorce takes to finalise, financial settlement, and any arrangements for children, if applicable.
• Whether it is easy for orders made by the court to be enforced.

One country might offer you a better settlement than the other one. There is the potential that men could be favoured more, over women. All these considerations need to be made before you jump into an international divorce.

5.    The UK No Longer Gets Special Rules Since Leaving the EU

Before the UK left the European Union, international divorce was far simpler if the other country you were personally involved with was part of the EU.

Friends and/or family members who have been through an international divorce themselves and received the special rules might have advised you on what will happen during yours based on their own experience. But, from January 2021, the special rules stopped applying, meaning that your international divorce will be different from theirs.

International Divorce is a Complex Matter

There is no doubt that any type of divorce is complicated and stressful. That said, what we can conclude is that an international divorce requires more awareness because there are double the options and possibilities.

Have you had an international divorce before? If so, what do you wish you had known before going forward with it? Leave a comment below.

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult a legal professional or divorce solicitor if you’re seeking advice regarding your divorce. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

oraimo has over the years delivered up to expectations when it comes to the manufacturing of smartphone accessories in Ghana. With the introduction of state-of-the-art designs and innovations in their entire manufacturing process, customers are always assured of nothing but the best final product.

Currently, oraimo has a global presence in over 50 countries, 100 million pcs sold, and over 4 million fans on Facebook. All this was achieved as a result of their hard work and global contribution to the production of smartphone accessories.

Recently added to the oraimo list of accessories is the oraimo FreePods 3 which is already making waves. Many will argue that there are several earbud alternatives on the market but after reading this article, you will agree with me that the new oraimo FreePods 3 is your best choice.

oraimo FreePods 3 is the third of its kind in the FreePods series and as a result, it comes with several amazing features that supersede its predecessors in the series. It has a clear voice in-call feature called ENC, or Environmental Noise Cancellation,which is made possible because of the 4-mic beamforming technology to track and provide high-quality sound.

In terms of the power and battery, the earbuds have a 45mAh battery capacity which gives up to 8 hours of playtime and the case has a 500mAh battery capacity which gives additional 28 hours of playtime for the earbuds.

As a Bluetooth 5.2 powered earbud, the FreePods 3 transmits clear and simultaneous sound to both the left and the right earbuds and also comes with three (3) ear tips to match the different sizes of ears we have.

For an earbud with all these features, it is pretty surprising that it comes at a very affordable price compared to some of the other earbuds which don’t even match up to these features and specs. This way, both the average Ghanaian minimum and medium-income earners can also have a feel of the oraimo FreePods 3.

One Pair, Two Different Fits

The FreePods 3 is a two-in-one earbud that comes with unique features as compared to some of the other brands already in existence. It has two (2) different Smart Modes in each pair, i.e., Bass mode and Awareness mode. The Bass Mode is designed to block out ambient noise and stop the leakage of air to boost the bass in your earbuds when it is in use.

The Awareness Mode on the other hand will help you to adapt to your surroundings. Therefore, you can still listen to music and will be aware of the surrounding sound. Listening to some hot Ghanaian afrobeat music with your FreePods 3 in your morning ride to work will sound as if the musician was standing next to you, regardless of the noise in the street or on the road.

Simultaneous, Low Latency

The FreePods 3 is powered by a Bluetooth 5.2 chip which makes sure the sound is transmitted to both earbuds simultaneously for a stable connection and impeccable sound experience. The low audio latency and the 10m range make gaming or video viewing more enjoyable and vivid.

Clear Voice in Calls Like Face-To-Face Conversation

There is nothing more annoying than not hearing what someone is saying on a Zoom call or even a normal voice call, it’s even more annoying when the issue is coming from your end. As a result, the FreePods 3 comes with a 4-mic beamforming technology to track and provide high-quality voice signals.

The AI Deep Neural Network algorithm is then used to reduce the surrounding noise to keep the clearest sound possible. This way, you can join all your Zoom meetings, voice calls, or any other meeting with your voice crystal clear to the caller on the other end.

When you are the one delivering the message or facilitating the meeting, there is no need to worry about how you sound. With the Environmental Noise Cancellation feature in the FreePods 3, your background noise is kept at its minimum to help you make the most out of your meeting.

Incredibly Powerful Bass Power To Amaze You With 3-size Eartips

Aside from the two smart modes, i.e. the Awareness mode and the Bass Mode, each of the earbuds is equipped with a 13mm high sensitive driver. This empowers the FreePods 3’s function of giving you dynamic audio, incredibly powerful bass, and reproduces every music detail as intended by the artist or composer of the song.

Also found in the box are three (3) different silicone tips which come in different sizes. To help you get the most out of the powerful bass power, you can try out each of the three (3) tips to find the right size for your ear.

More Sweat? No Fear!

One of the people who actively use the FreePods are people who work out or go for runs and if you know someone like that, then you know they sweat a lot. But with the introduction of IPX5 Waterproof, the FreePods 3 is both sweat and waterproof.

No matter how much you sweat or the weather condition you use your FreePods 3 in, you are good to go. Thus, athletes, trainers, and unregular athletes will find this earbud very useful and beneficial.

Intuitive Touch Sensor

Each of the earbuds has a touch sensor built-in at the upper back area which could be used to control music, calls, and access voice assistant. Instead of using your phone whenever you want to make a command, you can easily do so with the intuitive touch sensor at the back of the earbud.

For the right earbud, you can double-tap to play/pause music or answer/end calls and you can press twice and hold for 1.5s for the next track. Likewise, for the left earbud, you can double-tap to play/pause music or answer/end call and you can double-press and hold for 1.5s for the last track.

Long-Lasting Battery And an Even More Powerful Charging Case With Ergonomic Charging Port

Since audio is a big part of your life, the FreePods 3 provides up to 8 hours of listening on a single charge. The compact charge case also provides 28 more hours of listening time to make a total of 36 hours of playing time. With one charge of the case, you can use your earbuds for one and a half days (36 hours) without worrying about charging.

Unlike most of the other earbuds, the FreePods 3’s charging case has a type-C charging port which is more reliable and flexible. With type-C, you can comfortably plug in your charger without worrying about which side is correct or not.

Reasons Why You Should Use The oraimo FreePods 3

After reading through this article, the final decision will be on whether to buy the FreePods 3 or not. Below are some of the reasons for why you should buy the FreePods 3.

∙         It is affordable as compared to other brands with less or equal features and specs

∙         It is IPX5 water and sweatproof which makes it good for all weather conditions

∙         It is dust resistant making it good for riding in sand and not worrying about it getting dirty

∙         It has longer battery life for both the earbuds and the charging case

∙         It comes with three (3) different silicone ear tips to meet the varying needs of users, etc

These and many others are the reasons why you should go ahead and purchase the FreePods 3 in Ghana.

What Are The Compatible Devices?

Since the oraimo FreePods 3 have a Bluetooth  5.2 chip, it is compatible with all devices that support Bluetooth 5.2. Whether it is an iPhone, Samsung, Tecno, Infinix,  PC, laptop, etc. so far as it supports BT 5.2, you can use it with the oraimo FreePods 3.

AVAILABILITY

The FreePods 3 is currently available at all oraimo Accessories Shops across the country. You can enjoy the massive discounts on the official e- shop ( gh.oraimo.com ). You can also follow @oraimoGhana on all their social media platforms to know more and win giveaways!

The versatile musician Okyeame Kwame and pop-culture satirist, comedian, and content creator, Kwadwo Sheldon, are among notable personalities that will participate in the maiden Children’s Showcase & KIDpreneurial Fair hosted by Destination Africa, a child-oriented entrepreneurial organization.

The upcoming event, slated for December 11, 2021 at the Exotic Park, Westlands Blvd, at West Legon in Accra, will also have other participating dignitaries and child mentors including, Wode Maya, Kofi Amoabeng, Skin Gourmet, and Esther Cobbah among others at the event.

Founders of Destination Africa, Michael Ekow and Abena Richardson, who started the initiative in the United Kingdom before hosting the maiden edition in Ghana this year, said: the initiative began in London when we discovered that there was a disconnect with young Africans and the association and understanding of the continent. From language to culture, geography, history, proverbs, critical thinking, presentation skills and much more. We wanted to create or better yet revive that African spirit in the way the African child is raised”.

It is in this vein that a ten-week workshop was designed by Destination Africa to introduce and engage children, parents and even grandparents in discovering and enjoying the many facets of African culture with the climax being the KIDpreneurial Fair on the December 11.

On the day of the event, participating children from age three to sixteen years will have the opportunity to learn language, communication and expression (Twi/Yoruba), history and historical figures, music, dance, play and drama, understanding culture, expressive art and design, storytelling, African current affairs including debates (on African matters) pairing up on African related project work, financial matters (credit cards, loans, mortgages) and critical thinking and will be guided by the numerous resource persons and mentors that would attend the event.

Ekow and Abena believes that children deserve the opportunity to globally and unapologetically compete with their counterparts in all fields and industries. Especially in the field involving their own natural resources which works as a complimentary supplement to what is being taught in schools.

“We want to draw attention because we want all families to understand that each individual child has a purpose and a role to play in the betterment, involvement and the development of our society. Each person has a gift, whether creative or academic so each child is as important as the other! Our responsibility is to bring out that talent under the daily practice of PATIENCE, UNITY AND RESPECT” Ekow emphasized.

Gates officially open for the event from 10:30am – 17:00pm with ticket prices categories stated with family tickets going for GH¢120 (2 adults, 3 children), adult single: GH¢40, child single GH¢20 with free entry for children under two years.

The end of year celebratory fair will showcase the talents of the children and the knowledge they have acquired over the course of the previous term. The day starts with a showcase of entertainment and presentations followed by an awards ceremony where celebrity and impactful guests will be acknowledged for their work and impact in society. With fun, food, games, giveaways, music, local artisans and stalls, this fair will be a great inspirational and fun day for the whole family.

Destination Africa is the only programme that is dedicated to empowering children of the African continent and diaspora to elevate Africa to the next level in all industries. The workshops are designed to shape the African child with the right mindset, ability and knowledge to succeed on all levels and compete globally in their chosen fields.

The organization will be starting a new term of workshop in January 2022. Prospective participating children can register at www.TheDestinationAfrica.com.