Lundazi district town Council Secretary (CS) Mfula Mwansa has cautioned adolescents against patronising bars and nightclubs this festive season or risk being arrested.

Dr Mwansa states that the local authority was ready to deal sternly with under aged persons who would be found in bars and nightclubs.

Speaking during a sensitisation meeting for bars, night clubs, and lodges owners on compliance to laws governing their operations, Dr Mwansa warned that proprietors of such facilities risk having their licences revoked   for non-compliance.

He said his office is aware of hotels, lodges, bars, and night clubs that were allowing under aged children to frequent such facilities.

ZANIS reports that Dr Mwansa said that the local authority wants both property owners and their patrons not to be found on the wrong side of the law.

“We do not care if it means filling up police cells this festive season, we will just do so and nobody is above the law,” the Town Council Secretary stated.

And Lundazi District Adolescent Focal Point Person, Crydon Muswatila has expressed concern at the future of today’s youths if restrictive measures to control their behaviour are not put in place.

Muswatila stated that 25 percent of the district’s population were adolescents.

He said 43,439 make the number of adolescents between the age of 10 to 19.

Mr Muswatila disclosed that substance abuse and sexual immorality was high in the district with new HIV infections hitting 34 among young people in the first two quarters of 2024.

The adolescent Focal point person further disclosed that about 1,228 teen girls fell pregnant in the third quarter of 2024.

He expressed worry that the trend was likely to heighten during the festive season as young people had unlimited access to drug facilities where such substances were being sold.

“It is now common in Lundazi to find alcohol being sold by unlicensed persons and businesses as even marketeers were stocking alcohol in their vegetable stalls,” he revealed.

Mr Muswatila has echoed the need for more sensitisation of those in the hospitality industry to restrict under aged children from accessing their facilities.

He further appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that they monitored their children during the festive season to ensure their security and well-being.