Join in narcotics fight, Nasarawa gov tells colleagues

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa has called on governors in the north to join in the fight against drug addiction and abuse. Sule said if narcotics are not properly controlled, they would adversely affect the survival of the nation.

The governor stated this while declaring open a two-day North-Central sensitisation workshop organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Narcotics for youth and women in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Sule, who is the Chairman of the North-Central Governors Forum, said the involvement of women in drug abuse has further made the scourge more pathetic due to the crucial roles they play at home and in society.

He commended the efforts put in place by the House of Representatives, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs, and traditional rulers in giving their support in the frontline fight against the scourge of drug abuse.

Sule noted that the fight against narcotics, if properly handled, will reduce insecurity and criminality because they are related.

He promised to support the championing of the cause for a drug-free society, questioning that if average-populated states in the region would be suffering from the dangers of drug abuse, what would be the dangerous effects in densely populated states of the nation?

In his address, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee on Narcotics, Abas Adigun, said the workshop had become imperative due to the rising level of narcotics use in the country.

The federal lawmaker added that the House of Representatives would play its part in stemming the tide of drug troubles in the nation, soliciting support from other arms of government and organisations.

Delivering her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Rufai Ibrahim, acknowledged the cooperation of various stakeholders to nip the scourge in the bud, saying the workshop would go a long way in assisting women and youths to stay away from drugs due to their harmful effects on personal and societal development.

The Emir of Azara, Kabiru Musa Ibrahim, and Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Aisha Bashir Aliyu, who gave goodwill messages, urged women to guide their children closely, maintaining that proper attention from childhood was critical to protecting them against the negative impact of drug abuse.