ACYC Declares War Against Drug Abuse, Unveils ‘Stop Drug’ Monument
ACYC Declares War Against Drug Abuse, Unveils ‘Stop Drug’ Monument
Youths of Asaba, under the auspices of Asaba Community Youth Council (ACYC), have expressed their resolve to wage war against illicit drugs in the community.
This was with the unveiling of a monument with the message “Stop Drug: Put It Out Before It Puts U Out”, at Allen Avenue roundabout, Umuezei quarters, Asaba.
Speaking on the occasion, the President, Asaba Community Youth Council (ACYC), Ogbueshi Obodo Okediachi, noted that drug abused had assumed an alarming rate in the community over the past fifteen years, with virtually every household having an addict.
Ogbueshi Okediachi said the situation was unacceptable and needed to be frontally checked in order to secure the future of the youths and make them useful to the society.
He explained that the ‘Stop Drug’ campaign was to complement the efforts of government in the war against drug abuse and solicited the support and cooperation of law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in winning the war for the greater good of the society.
In her remarks, the member representing Oshimili South in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Bridget Anyafulu, who unveiled the monument, commended ACYC for championing the ‘Stop Drug’ campaign, in recognition of the dangers of drug abuse, especially in the life of youths.
Hon Anyafulu pointed out that there was an existing law prohibiting drug abuse, which she noted needed to be strictly enforced, revealing that she had moved a motion on the floor of the State Assembly calling on the relevant agencies of government to take the enforcement of the law more seriously.
A representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Assistant Commander of Narcotics, ACN Silas Omowude, who gave a talk on drug abuse, said the Agency would soon launch a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) to encourage community participation in the fight against illicit drugs in the country.
ACN Omowude disclosed that of the 14.4 percent prevalence rate of drug addiction in the country, Delta accounted for 8.4 percent, with Asaba in the lead, making it imperative for the ACYC campaign to be supported by all.
He disclosed that the most commonly abused drugs now by the young ones between the age of 15 and 21, including females, were tramadol and codeine, insisting that everything possible would be done to rid Asaba of drug abuse and related crimes.
Other speakers, including the Akudo of Asaba, Chief Philip Nwokolo, called on the security agencies to extend the fight against drug abuse to the dealers and bring them to book, if the war must be won.
