WARRI – Following the growing concerns about the menace of the use illicit drugs particularly among youths across the country, Director at the the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Delta State Directorate Ivan Okoro has said that, no meaningful solution can be developed, driven and sustained without a solid public/private partnership.
Ivan Okoro disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Asaba on a proposed round table discussion among stakeholders to deliberate on the most potent and comprehensive strategy for tackling the scourge that appears to have arrested most youths in the state in general and Warri and environs in particular.
According to him, the Agency is collaborating with the Foundation or Development and Community Engagement (FDCE) for an elaborate Campaign Against Drug Abuse and Bad Habits (CADABH) in Warri and it’s environs.
While quoting section13 (1) of the NATIONAL ORIENTATION AGENCY ACT (AMEDMENT) BILL, 2016, he said, the core aim of the Agency includes to ” …Cooperate with the Federal, State and Local government in the eradication of anti social behaviours of youth such as trading (hawking); urinating along the streets across the nation, cultism, prostitution, exam malpractices, drug abuse.”
Speaking further, Okoro said” the Agency collaborated with the Foundation for Development and Community Engagement (FDCE) to initiate a social research on the proliferation of the use of hard drugs and related substances in Warri and environs which study he said, revealed very disturbing details; including a plethora of hard drug centers located within and outside residential areas across the area and increasing cases of female victims of drug induced sexual abuses like rape and bestiality.
He added that, at the initial stage, key but selected stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in the area were invited for the activity which he hoped, would be escalated as soon as possible to accommodate more stakeholders.
On her part, the Director of Research and Advocacy FDCE, Mrs. Tsaye Mene , a pharmacologist, while lamenting the effects of the use of hard drug, said not much is being done at stopping the proliferation of the use of hard drugs and related substances.
She said , the study among others showed that hard drug is responsible for the poor performance of students as well as increased number of school drop outs, thereby negatively impacting on their future , luring young people in to crime and eventual death.
Mrs. Mene said, the use of hard drugs also constrain many wealthy people to sell their valuables at incredibly low prices resulting in poverty and metal illness.
According to her, “the choice of Warri and environs is due to high its metropolitan nature which provides a conducive lure for patronage for hard drugs and other related substances which is suspected to be global and trendy. If you see the recent song, “Science Student” by Olamide., popularly called Badoo , you get the inclination that this had become trendy and and as such, requires really drastic approach so as to avoid further loss of lives.
She explained that the Campaign Against Drug Abuse and Bad Habits ( CADABH ) is a project under the peace building program of the portfolio of the Grassroots Peace and Security partnership of the NOA, Delta State Directorate and the Foundation for Development and Community Engagement ( FDCE ), designed to promote an enabling and peaceful society for socio economic growth by reducing patronage of hard drugs, related substances and associated incidents in the coverage area.
The event which hold on May,10th, at Seko Hotels on Airport Road, Warri at 11.30am, seeks to identify, establish and build a network of organisations and individuals committed to strengthening an integrated advocacy strategy against patronage of hard drugs , related substances and associated incidents in the coverage area.
Representatives from the government circle, oil and gas sector , religious circles, donor agencies, security agencies , voluntary organisations and the media are expected to grace the occasion.
