ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, YENAGOA
For stakeholders in Bayelsa State, the fight against illicit drug addiction and abuse is being won by the state government.
They praised the state government for its decision to build a drug victims’ rehabilitation centre in Yenagoa, the state capital, to reduce the incidents of drug use and abuse.
The stakeholders comprising officials of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), medical doctors, psychologists, civil advocacy and rights activists, pharmacists and women advocacy groups, resolved that the war against drug abuse under the administration of Governor Douye Diri had rekindled the hope of youths in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Igwele, described the revolution against drugs as one of the right steps taken by the Diri administration.
He said the government’s vision was anchored on its mandate to give youths a new lease of life and set the pace for societal growth and minimise crime and criminality.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Committee on Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee (CDAPRC), Dr Faith Zips-Godwin, noted that the committee had closed ranks with other stakeholders to change the Bayelsa drug abuse story.
“Our approach is to use four cardinal strategies, the community, faith-based, school and media strategies to combat the scourge of drug misuse and abuse across the state,” she stated.
She noted that drug abuse resulted in numerous life-threatening health conditions such as liver damage, kidney failures, high blood pressure and other health conditions.
She called on stakeholders to ensure that all hands are on deck to win the war against drug abuse and trafficking in Bayelsa.
On his part, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers’ Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Ibenanaowei of the Ekpetiama Kingdom, said the illicit drug trafficking business in the world attracted an estimated $300b annually.
The monarch advised the state government to work closely with the security agencies to secure the marine and land borders to check the movement of hard drugs into the state.
It was, however, gathered that the state government was rated high in the area of the battle against drug abuse with its several international programmes.
It was also learnt that organisations and top personnel across the world including the UNODC had raised their voices against drug abuse culminating in the training of 124 teachers on drug abuse prevention tagged, ‘Unplugged Drug Abuse Prevention Programme for secondary schools in Bayelsa State.’
UNODC’s Country Representative, Dr Oliver Stolpe, described Bayelsa as a testament to walking the talk against drug abuse, noting that if nothing was done, the disease would negatively affect the development of the society closely tied to crimes that the international community had been monitoring to avoid a time bomb.
Stolpe said: “It is visibly clear and audibly loud enough from the lips of all stakeholders that the reality to achieve a crime and drug-free society, efforts need to be intensified with relevant actors and agencies to prevent drug supply and abuse.
“This, the Bayelsa State government has championed by taking the bull by the horn as a shining example for other states across the country.
“As Bayelsa State joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2022 International Day Against Drugs Abuse, themed ‘Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crises,’ several activities including road shows, symposiums and lectures were organized to raise the awareness of the people to join the train to stand against drug misuse and abuse in the oil-rich Bayelsa.”