MTN Foundation has explained the reasons why it is investing in the fight against drug abuse and addiction in the country.
Chairman of MTN Foundation, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, stated this yesterday during the UN Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking 2022, with the theme,
“Addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crisis,” at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, many Nigerians are still ignorant about drugs and the abuse of drugs.
He explained that the foundation has become an intimate part of the programmes of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) saying the task ahead is just the beginning and the NDLEA needs a lot of support.
He said, “In Nigeria today, very many people are on drugs but few are manifesting it. Indeed, you will find that there are very many children, young people who are on drugs but the parents don’t even know.
“That’s why the foundation of the MTN decided some five years ago to join the struggle to reduce addiction, drug abuse, and substance abuse in this nation.
“You’ll be surprised how many people are ignorant about drugs and the abuse of drugs. If you say to someone, ‘say no to drugs,’ they should be asking you which drugs, and therefore, advocacy has become very important.
“And when you embark on that programme we will strategize with you because by doing so, by making you a success story, we’re helping the younger generation in this nation.
“And if we do it well, and Nigeria makes inroad in this connection, it will be a green light for all other African countries, the black race and that’s why we are behind you.
“There is absolutely no grounds to think that by working alone, we can do it. The issue of drug abuse can date back to the old days 4000 years before the Christian era when people were using opium. if you fast forward, you will find that sometimes in 1859 precisely on the 25th of June there was an end to the dismantling of the very fast trade of opium in China.
“The commemoration of that dismantling been discussed in the General Assembly of the UN that was escalated to the resolution that was passed on the seventh of December 1987. To declare that the 25th 26th 27th, is the day of drug abuse.
“So here we are in Nigeria and we’re doing it, we’re doing everything to make sure that we have an impact. Some people will say isn’t just about talk this year. Talk next year. No, we must continue the talk until such a time that we will say to ourselves, that we are making some progress.
“It is a war that we will continue. Aluta continua and as long as this is going on, you have our support,” Adelusi-Adeluyi said .
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