a well organised welcoming ceremony for Mr Abukar Awale (Qaad-diid) has been held at Puntland State University on today tuesday february 24, 2015. this event organised by the Puntland State University Student Development Association (PSUSDA) to support Abukar Awale’s effort for campaining banning khat from the countary. The event was attended by the Government Officials, PSU Faculty deans, professors, lecturer, heads of all the departments, Students and other Guests, The event was officially opened by the PSU Deputy Vice Chancellor in Admin and Finance Ahmed Abshir Jama, and welcomed warmly Mr Abukar Awale and appreciated and thanked his effort towards raising awareness for banning khat. During the occasion, there was research presentations about khat made by one the PSU students and emotion poetry about the negative impacts of the khat to the community presented by Yahye – one of the PSU Students. Thereafter, Mr Abukar Awale was invited to address the crowd. Abukar gave a warm greeting to the crowd and thanked to the PSU family as hall, especially the Students Association whom organized this wonderful welcoming support ceremony. Abukar Awale, a former khat addict who now campaigns against it briefly summarized how the khat is destroying the life of the families economically, socially, morally and health, he said: “Khat is destroying our community, causes medical problems and family breakdowns, Somali women are suffering domestic violence as a result of their husbands’ use of khat, a lot of young boys are using khat now, and they are failing at school and turning to crimes”. “The amount of money Somalis spend on Khat is more than the Somali Government annual budget, there is a need to stand up against such waste, determine to stop hard currency flying to abroad for the Khat’s import, work towards raising awareness and ban Khat from our people”. Awale mentioned that he is well aware that this is a long and difficult road and not risk free. Abukar strongly believes that God has purpose for each person, and his inspirational message to his community is that united we can make difference to ban Khat The United Kingdom banned khat after a long and painful campaign spearheaded by Mr. Abukar Awale, they call him “Qaad Diid”, the one who rejects Khat. Awale managed to highlight the destructive nature of Khat in the Somali society in the UK. Apart from being a drug of abuse, Khat destroys family cohesion and plays a major role in the high divorce rates, khat chewers hardly spend quality time chewing the green and bitter leaf in crowded rooms filled with cigarette smoke, sipping numerous cups of over sweetened tea, and guzzling numerous pints of carbonated beverages. This eventually destroys their health and increases the likelihood of clashing with their spouses. Many a wife was grateful for Awale’s successful campaign in the hope of reclaiming their men from the clutches of a powerful adversary. Currently Abukar Awale is willing to start a new campaign against khat in his native country Somalia, and invited all the PSU Administration, Lecturers and Students to attend a big crowd at East Africa University Garowe Campus on Wednesday morning February 25, 2015. The Event was officially closed by Axmed Cabdalle (Tigaana) the Ditector General of Ministry of Labour Youth and Sports of Punland, he thanked to the PSU for their warmly welcome and ban khat campaign support, also thanked to Mr Abukar Awale. More about the Khat read here
