Women in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State have seized and destroyed alcoholic drinks and related substances from shops across communities. The exercise which took place mostly in Sabon Bariki and Bukuru Low Cost areas of Gyel District witnessed a large turnout of the women who claimed the substances were making their husbands irresponsible.
The women went from shops to joints where such products are sold, seized and destroyed them.
The women, who divided themselves into groups, were supported by young girls, children, vigilantes and other volunteers.
Some shop owners who heard of the exercise locked their shops and disappeared, but the women promised to come back with tougher measures.
It was gathered that the exercise had the approval of community and traditional rulers.
It was learnt that the women were mostly concerned with locally produced alcoholic drinks and intoxicants they considered harmful and with high concentration of chemicals.
“These drinks are turning our men to irresponsible people. The drinks are weakening them; taking away their strengths and making them useless,” one of the women said.
“Our youths don’t have the strength to do menial jobs or farm to fend for themselves again. They spend most of their time in these drinking places
“Our husbands have also been weakened by the drinks, and they can no longer perform their conjugal duties in the night. Today, instead of having a man and a woman at home, we now have two women at home since our husbands cannot be called men any longer.”
Meanwhile, a youth who spoke with our reporter said the exercise won’t stop anything, especially among the youths, disclosing that they always knew how to get the drinks even if the women destroyed the ones they saw
He said the best way to solve the problem was for them to be empowered by the government so that they could have something to do.
