As Ekiti Speaker declares zero tolerance to menace
Stakeholders in Imo State, comprising officials of the Imo State University (IMSU); Imo State Orientation Agency (ISOA); the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), among others, have called on the Federal Government to put preventive and enforcement measures in place to check the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Nigeria.

They made this call, yesterday, during a one-day seminar to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, with the theme, ‘From Awareness to Action,’ jointly organised by the Psychology Department of IMSU and ISOA, held at the university premises in Owerri.

Speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of university, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, regretted that the upsurge in narcotics consumption, as well as other forms of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, has devastated many Nigerians, especially, the youths.

He noted that this year’s topic, ‘People First: Stop Stigma And Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention,’ was apt.

Head, Psychology Department of the institution, Dr. Ngozi Sydney-Agbor, in her welcome address, said drug abusers and traffickers should have a rethink, advising: “Every behaviour is learned, including drug abuse, and can be unlearned.” She regretted that, according to sources, 275 million people across the world abused drugs, out of which 36 million suffered disorders in 2021.

In his keynote address, a professor of clinical psychology in the institution, Nkwam Uwaoma, regretted that the menace started mainly in the 1980s in Nigeria as a transit country, and has had some Nigerians progressed from production and consumption to distribution and export of drugs.

SIMILARLY, Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, has declared zero tolerance for drug and substance abuse by youths in the state, saying defaulters would face the law.

Aribasoye also charged parents and other stakeholders to join the state government to fight the menace for a saner society.

The Speaker also disclosed readiness of the 7th state Assembly to enact a law that would prohibit smoking in public places, noting: “Public smoking does not only affect smokers, but also non-smokers.”

He made the remarks, yesterday, while receiving leaders and members of the state chapter of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), who staged ‘Ekiti Youth Peace Walk’ to the state Assembly Complex as part of activities to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse.

Aribasoye, who received the NYCN team, in the company of other lawmakers, advised the youths to be part of governance by sponsoring private bills in critical areas that affect them, especially in policy formulation and decision making.