By NOELA EBOB BISONG
Cameroon’s president, Paul Biya has castigated the high intake of alcohol by Cameroonian youths. This was during his traditional end-of-year message to the youth, on February 10, ahead of the celebration of the ‘Youth Day’ on February 11, 2020.
After telling on efforts being made for effective decentralisation and local governance which he said the youth in Cameroon must fully be involved to ensure emergence by 2035, effective bilingualism, the need for gainful employment, various youth programmes designed by the state as well as congratulated sportsmen and sportswomen who have been flying the flag of the nation high at the continental and world stages, Biya stated that:
“Not too long ago, during a Council of Ministers meeting, I requested the Government to consider designing a national drug and alcohol abuse control plan. Such abuse had reached an alarming level among the Cameroonian youth. Once more, I am calling on the Government today to redouble its efforts to combat this scourge.”
He equally mentioned the tragic case of a Mathematics teacher stabbed to death by his student in Yaounde last January 2020, calling on “…parents, the clergy and teachers to prevent, through their teachings, such acts from happening again. I also urge you to reflect on what has happened, to ponder its gravity and to resolve to never again commit such acts.”
Biya will also re-echo the need for some youths in the restive North West and South West regions who have taken up arms against the state to “lay down their weapons, like many who have already done so and who are living peacefully in our communities.”