The Deputy President’s spouse, Dorcas Gachagua, has challenged the church to take up its role of offering leadership to save the many helpless youth lost in drugs, illicit brews and other vices.
She said the church had failed in offering guidance to save a generation, especially the boy child that is perishing through involvement in drugs and other vices.
Addressing more than 2,000 members of clergy in Thika during a conference to host Ghanaian Evangelist Dag Heward Mills who is visiting the country for gospel crusades, Mrs Gachagua said the Church should stop preaching to the righteous in church buildings and begin reaching out to those lost in vices through crusades or guidance forums.
“Drug abuse is gaining ground and young people, mostly the boy child is getting lost thus an urgent intervention by the church is needed,” said Mrs Gachagua.
She said she has prioritized the plight of the boy-child as her flagship project through coming up with nationwide empowerment programmes targeting youth and young men.
She said she will partner with savings and credit cooperative societies to enable them to earn and save; and technical and vocational training centres to train them and give them skills to start businesses, among other empowerment forums and programmes.
She said the boy child has been disadvantaged in the last decade as the focus has been the girl child, and the need for stakeholders to help in the cause.
“Saving the boy child will be the major flagship project of my office. We have realized that the boy child is sliding away by not getting involved much, she said.
“We have elevated the girl child too much, leaving the boy child behind where he is now getting involved in drugs and illicit brews among other vices,” she added.
She also lauded the government’s efforts in fighting against illicit brews saying many families and futures have been lost in the drugs.
He called on the government to be firm in the fight and ensure the illicit brewers are dealt with accordingly.
“Illicit brews have destroyed the future of many youths and the time to weed them out completely in the country,” she said.
This week, President William Ruto warned illicit brewers that their time is up, saying harmful substances will not be tolerated in the country.
By Muoki Charles
