Thursday, March 28, 2024

Youths’ alcohol abuse saddens Nkandu Luo

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A lady loitering with a tin of opaque beer
A lady loitering with a tin of opaque beer

THE rising number of young people in Zambia consuming alcohol should be a source of concern for all, Minister of Local Government, Early Childhood and Environmental Protection Nkandu Luo has said.

The minister has also castigated some parents who are selling alcohol to children instead of guiding them into fruitful activities.

Professor Luo said it was sad that the youth who should be spearheading positive programmes such as those on climate change were abusing alcohol at alarming levels and indulging in illicit activities. She said this during the ‘We have faith – Act now for climate justice’ Green Blaze concert at Barclays Sports Complex in Lusaka on Wednesday evening.

“I am very disappointed with you young people for your illicit activities. Instead of you working towards your future and advocating for justice so that the bigger powers can reduce the Green House effects, you are there drinking,” she said. She said the Government would ensure that bars and restaurants adhered to the minimum age of 18 years when selling alcohol.

Prof Luo said it was sad that some parents who were supposed to protect children from such vices were the ones selling beer to them because they wanted to make profits.She said the ministries of Commerce, Local Government, and Youth and Sport would work together and ensure that they saved the future of Zambia.

The ‘We have faith – Act now for climate justice’ is a campaign by youths and faith-based communities from African countries demanding for a fair, ambitious and legally-binding climate deal at the forthcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 17th Conference of the Parties to be held in Durban, South Africa.

The youth are on a caravan journey that started in Kenya, Nairobi, on their way to Durban where the conference would be held from November 28 to December 9, 2011

[Times of Zambia]

37 COMMENTS

  1. this is true we can’t be drinking beer with these chaps efyo tatulekolewa sana, i think that why balundako no mutengo wa ka beer kanshi

  2. Iwe Nkandu Luo…yes it’s sad that youths are drinking, but have you sat down to ask why? Youths are depressed, they see a bleak future ahead of them. Old people like you resurface from the archives and take up jobs that are meant for youths, what hope is there? Instead of lamenting you should be looking for solutions to engage youths is active employment, skills and sports. Why are you in govt when all you can do is lament??? Are you not the people who promised 90 days?

  3. Worse still with the retirement age of 65 yrs, awe twakulanwa fye. A college/university graduate without experience will not have the job because of the old madalas/mamas like Nkandu Luo, Frackson Shamenda, etc, taking up young people’s positions. “Ni open gullet chabe” for the youths so quit both your job and complaining about youth beer drinking madam.

  4. I am in total agreement with the minister that there is need to restrict and safeguard our children from alchohol abuse. in the same vain, it is also important to enforce laws against bar owners encouraging underage drinking. futher there is need to do away with the sale of spirits in satchets (Tujili jili) as these affords access to alchohol. spirits should be sold in 750ml bottles. lastly i implore the standards body to continously undertake inspections and testing of all alchohol products imported into the country especially spirits (comesa market and all liquor wholesale outlets) and also all sub standard tujilijili that our local producers produce. honestly speaking a good spirit takes years to mature unlike tujilijili just hours to produce. lets guard against this health calamity

  5. You really have a very good point C/B Youth.. we as a Nation are lucking a lot of things that can stop youths from drinking all the time. look at the youths who finished there education 3 years ago up to now these guy are just siting doing Nothing and you expect them no to drink. If you really want to stop these youths from drinking, make sure you build more nice place were they can go and have sports so that when they go back home there powers of going to drink as gone in sports all they would want at that particular time is to have a long rest.. create a lot of Sports Club for every one and not only for the rich clubs sports clubs which will be for all. Above all make sure employment and more trade/skills schools are built in time! Youths will change for the better, believe me. Thank you

  6. The youths need jobs, there’s absolutely no recreation in Zambia, on a weekend what else is there to do? No parks, no youth events for development of their future, no nothing. Its really an emergency , dont just make promises ACT, the people of Zambia have entrusted the new Gov, but from the look of things its just TALK, TALK, TALK, people please stop being selfish. Recycled politicians will not bring anything new, They didnt in the previous governments and will not this time around again, they are there just for one thing. To fatten their pockets even more, and they care only about their kids.

  7. Youths are poor, disgruntled, frustrated, hopeless, insecure, directionless and the only thing to do to remain normal is to drink alchohol. PF promised the youth so much but nothing will come out of this govrnment for the youths.

  8. Whenever I come home to Zed I see so much depression amongst our youth. It is laughable that while the conditions of our youth is so depressing at home a whole minister can advocate that they start looking at the higher ideals of green house effects!!!! Luo, are you still on this planet – let alone in Zambia??? I suspect the old behaviour of “leaders” is kicking in already; we are forgetting what we should focus on healing in our country. Most of the demands are simple. They want to see their lot improve; they wish to apply what they have graduated with; they want a fair distribution of appointments, wealth, and municipal services. Think about that!!!

  9. Youths’ Why Alcohol ? We as youths are desperately in fear of the unkown there is no hope for us in anything we try to contribute to the environment for our own benefits as we lack support from all angles. We have no Jobs, no Business Ventures, Sport Activists & Realms for such, no Amusement Theatres, no Co-operation in our activities as the greater majority of non-youths are too busy to cater for us & really no attention has come to our aspects & views till today when an issue on alcohol has been raised. Give us Adventure & Activity so we can widen out other than Alcohol Abuse.

  10. Luo just shut about what do you know about the suffering of millions of our youths who voted for you and you have trashed them just like that! where are yo promises of jobs for the youths? dont condem the youths but find a solution for them to stop suhc vices!

  11. Even if I were president I could just employ anybody well if it is sweeping the road may be. But you mean people the government should go round looking for people without any dream for their own life to enstrust them with jobs. Lets learn to respect ourselves, draw a road map for our own future so that other people may know we are serious about our own lives. As youth lets not just play around, people are working hard to earn a living but if you invest in Chibuku then you will reap chibuku. Now people want to drop teh professor in favour of the girl taking chibuku in the picture if you are one of them you will die poor while drinking chibuku. lets work hard men and women!!!

  12. I attended the occasion where the minister made this statement. It was really shameful to see young boys and girls drinking. Some smuggled ‘tujilijili’ into the venue of the concert. For me what is really sad is that this this alcohol is really lethal to their young bodies. The government should quickly act to stop packing of ‘tujilijili’ in small satchets or ban the brewing of this drink that will rob Zambia of its future leaders.

  13. Pls stop boring us with ur worried stories ba luo. Your children are set with good jobs.next time make a statement on what you have done for the youths to empower them. No recreation no jobs what do you expect. Stop talking about the obvious. Mwatusabila

  14. Kamusikana aka kagwila chigubu, ningakasambike chabe nakuka polomota, kukachosa pa shake shake nakuka faka muli moet chandon, kangalingile. afterlo kavala kudala maglass kaoneka monga nika ex UNZA student kamene kalibe nchito.

  15. But sata should join the drink too. cant you see his teeth. the guys enjoys the drin too and fwaka. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh

  16. Governement should consider setting up more recreational facilities for youths to keep their mind off some these activities…………

  17. Youths aint depressed, it that they have nothing positive to do after school and on weekends. Dry football grounds, bars at everry corner and lack of mentors affect the youth of today,

  18. I think if the government can offer this people some jobs it we be the same thing insteat of taking chibuku they change they we be drinking castle and other expensive beers.So the best way of leting this people stop drinking beer its better as zambian we stop produceing beer to the bars mybe to starting selling beer in governmemt places hope it help.

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