By Dennis Ndlovu | Bulawayo
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo has called on parents to take an active role in fighting drug and substance abuse, warning that the crisis cannot be solved by government and law enforcement alone.
In an interview during the official opening of his ministry’s Strategic Planning Workshop in Bulawayo, Moyo said that while government structures are working to coordinate efforts at national and provincial levels, long-term success depends on what happens in the home.
“What is also important is parental guidance,” he emphasized.
“We need our parents to be capacitated to deal with these matters at household level. That’s where the problem starts and where it can be stopped, he said”
The Minister noted that drug abuse among young people has reached alarming levels, prompting the government to set up inter-ministerial committees from national to provincial tiers. However, he expressed concern that district-level coordination remains weak.
“At national level, there is inter-ministerial coordination to deal with the drug and substance abuse menace,” he said.
“That has been brought to the sub-national level with committees at provincial level. But we are not very happy with what is happening at the district level. We think more should be done.”
Moyo said the fight against drugs requires an “all-hands-on-deck” approach involving parents, schools, faith groups, and community leaders.
“We need all our leaders councillors, DDCs, religious groups, and everybody to come on board so that this matter is dealt with once and for all,” he said.
He also revealed that government is mobilizing resources to strengthen rehabilitation centers and community support services.
“His Excellency has taken the lead in resource mobilization so that we can capacitate our centers to take in those who are to be rehabilitated from substance abuse,” Moyo said.
The Minister highlighted that the national strategy focuses on three key pillars supply reduction, demand reduction, and resource mobilization but warned that policy alone is not enough without family involvement.
“Schools, police officers, religious leaders, and our government officers must be part of this team,” he said.
He said, “But if parents are not empowered, our efforts will remain incomplete.”
Moyo’s remarks signal a shift in government’s anti-drug message from enforcement and coordination to community and family responsibility. His call places parents and guardians at the center of prevention efforts, positioning the home as the first line of defense in Zimbabwe’s fight against drug and substance abuse.
Follow us on social media for breaking news:
·X (Twitter): @ZimGbc
·Instagram: @ZimGBCNews
·TikTok: @ZimGBCNews_01
·Facebook: Zim GBC News
·YouTube: Zim GBC News
Get real-time alerts on WhatsApp:
+263 773 820 323
For in-depth coverage, visit our website: www.zimgbcnews.co.zw
Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective©2025