VICE-PRESIDENT Dr Constantino Chiwenga is expected to officially open the anti-drug abuse sports festival at Checheche Growth Point this afternoon.
The inaugural multi-sport jamboree is part of the Government’s concerted efforts to fight the drug and substance abuse menace especially amongst the country’s youths.
Today’s finals, which will see different teams from different provinces squaring off in football, volleyball, netball and athletics, are a culmination of eliminators which started in March at ward level.
Provincial winners converged here starting on Tuesday and attended a Wellness Conference yesterday where speaker after speaker condenmed the drug and substance abuse scourge.
And Vice-President Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, will officially open the festival amid expectations this initiative will pave the way for a drug abuse-free country.
Dr Chiwenga will also commission a low cost tennis court at Checheche High School as the Government moves to promote all sport codes at every school around the country.
Director of Communication in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Weston Makoni, confirmed that Dr Chiwenga will officially open the festival.
“We are delighted as the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to have successfully hosted this magnificent and significant anti-drug and substance abuse sports fiesta. “This is part of the Government of Zimbabwe’s efforts to try and curb the marauding scourge in the society. We are trying to use sport as a huge tool to fix the societal mindset torwards their attitude on drugs,” said Makoni.
“We are happy the programme was inclusive. We are leaving no place and no person behind in line with the Second Republic’s inclusivity mantra.
“Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga will officially open the festival tomorrow (today) to underline just how massive this event is.
“The fiesta will be held annually with each province getting a chance to host the finals.”
Yesterday, 16 Ministries attended the national fitness and wellness conference that zeroed in on the importance of fitness and wellness in curbing drug and substance abuse.
In her keynote speech during the conference, Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Nokuthula Matsikenyere, said a healthy society is wealthy.
“I am in awe of the level of expertise and commitment that is represented in this audience. Allow me to hasten to appreciate the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation for gathering together the right people, with the right expertise, at the right time to talk about an issue of overarching importance to the nation as we seek to move our country’s thinking and practice forward to yield a safer and healthier society,” she said.
“Drug use is gravely harmful to health, human life and society. As you well know, all of us are called to combat the production, processing and distribution of drugs worldwide. It is our duty and responsibility to undertake this fight against those who deal in drugs. Dealers of death: we must not be afraid to use this title. Faced with this disturbing scenario, the Government senses the urgent need to create in today’s community a form of humanism capable of restoring the human person to the centre of social, economic and cultural life.
“I am happy that the Government, together with local, national and international institutions, and various educational agencies, is concretely engaged in every part of the country in combating the spread of addictions, devoting its resources to prevention, care, rehabilitation and reinsertion, in order to restore dignity to those who have lost it.”
Matsikenyere said it is everyone’s responsibility to fight the drug abuse scourge.
“Fighting drug and substance abuse calls for a combined effort on the part of various local groups and agencies in enacting social programmes promoting health care, family support and especially education. In this regard, I readily support the desire expressed by this Conference for a better co-ordination of policies aimed at halting the growth of drug abuse and addictions – isolated policies are of no use.
‘’It is a human problem, it is a social problem, everything must be interconnected through the creation of networks of solidarity and closeness to those suffering from these pathologies. I encourage all of you, in your various sectors, to pursue your commitment to increasing awareness and offering support to those who have emerged from the tunnel of drug addiction and other addictions.”
