Africa Directions concerned with underage drinking

Sat, 05 Aug 2017 10:55:43 +0000

By Terence Miselo 

Renowned youth and arts oriented organisation African Directions is concerned with the levels of underage drinking in Lusaka.

Africa Directions which seeks to promote youth development through arts, sports and culture wants more focus on alternative entertainment for young people as opposed to beer drinking.

For this reason, the organisation is pleased with Lusaka City Council’s move of engaging bar and club owners to curb underage drinking and patronage.

In a statement, Africa Directions’ Mark Chilongu  commended the Lusaka City Council for being proactive and trying to ensure that there is sanity in the city especially that  relating  to the liquor licensing act

“ We at  Africa Directions are working very hard to contribute and ensure that Lusaka becomes a child and youth friendly city and we want to applaud the City Council who is our key stakeholder in this undertaking for taking up this step of engaging bar owners,” said Mr. Chilongo.

“There is no way that bar owners should allow under age patronage and drinking, there is no way bars which are not supposed to be night clubs can  operate as night clubs, There is no way in this time and age we can continue to allow mushrooming of makeshift bars in our Capital City, we should not further allow bars to cause noise pollution. All these have a major negative effect in the growth of our children and young people.”

Chilongu said the step  the council has taken of engaging with bar owners in order to ensure that there is sanity in the city must be commended. He urges the Council to however remain committed to ensure the provisions of the law are followed.

“ It is our sincere hope that the local authority together with bar owners will continue to support our call for a child and youth friendly city as we all continue to contribute towards the sustainable development goal number 11, which states: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” said Chilongu.