A secondary school principal in the National Capital District has blamed the recent clash between neighboring Motuan villages Hanuabada and Baruni on the sale of illicit drugs such as homebrew and marijuana openly in Hanuabada and other villages.
“Illicit drugs are sold openly in the villages to youths,” said the Principal of Badihagwa Technical Secondary School.
“Unless and until these drug abuse issues are addressed then we will start to see such unnecessary fights and other related social problems minimized.”
The principal said the school is always affected when people from Hanuabada, Tatana and Baruni are involved in such fights as most of the students in the school are from these villages.
Mr. Bala clarified that it is usually the rowdy young boys on drugs that start brawls that lead to bigger fights between villages but not the entire community as presumed by outsiders.
“It is the issue of young guys who take matters into their own hands, otherwise the surrounding communities are peace loving and law abiding people.”
He is also disappointed with a minority of people in the village who are producing and selling homebrew or “steam” as it is known locally.
“They give the excuse that they sell homebrew as it is the only way to earn an income.”
“But this is a very weak excuse!”
“We have weak leaders who are accepting this excuse.”
Mr. Bala said it worries him on what happens outside of the school fence when students leave the school ground to go home while walking through tables lined up with “steam” containers sold openly.
“I feel sorry for my students when they leave the school ground.”
“They look happy in the school and doing everything we ask them to do but my biggest concern is what is waiting for them out there when they step out of this school gate.”
With all the nonsense associated with steam, Mr. Bala is planning on taking another approach which he hopes can put a stop to the production and distribution of steam.
“I plan on having a talk with the village councilors of Hanuabada who are ex Badihagwa students”
“I will talk with the councilors to offer jobs to those people who are producing homebrew, so they can at least have an income instead of relying on something that is deemed illegal”
Mr. Bala called out also to Motu Koita Assembly Chairman Dadi Toka Jnr to work hand in hand with the Hanuabada leaders to come up with better and workable ideas that can put an end to this ongoing issue in Hanuabada.
Mr. Bala said the problem needs collaborative efforts from church groups, parents, community leaders and even the government to put an end to the production and distribution of homebrew in our Motuan villages.
