Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ), Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (rtd), has charged the Nigerian elites to key into the whole-of-society strategy by the agency to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Marwa gave the charge in his keynote speech at the Island Club Business Forum in Lagos yesterday.
He said, “This is not a challenge for the government alone. All of us are stakeholders on this issue, and it is an assignment for all Nigerians. The standard whole-of-society approach to the drug issue is such that everyone is a stakeholder. The future of Nigeria belongs to us all.
“As we are doing our bit at NDLEA, we expect society to complement our efforts by taking a huge role in preventing the young ones from falling into situations that encourage experimentation with drugs, whether licit or illicit. Every one of us has a role; the simplest is advocacy. By spreading the message, we can all become anti-drug abuse advocates. Spreading the word about the dangers of misuse of drugs can go a long way in shielding more lives from the ruins of illicit drugs. The Island Club can also join in this effort to safeguard the wellbeing of our society from the drug menace.”
He told the gathering of business leaders, students and parents that since the retooling of NDLEA three years ago after he assumed leadership, the Agency has ramped up its drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction efforts, leading to significant results, adding that the call for everyone to support the ongoing effort has become imperative because of the forecast by UNODC in 2021 World Drug Report that drug use in Africa will rise by 40 per cent in the year 2030 especially among those within 25-29 and 30-34 age groups as a result of population growth.
He said, “By and large, the outlook of the future will depend on our action or inaction at curbing the drug abuse trend. I, being an optimist, believe the future favours Nigeria―only if we get the matrix right. A lot has been said about the future of Africa. Indeed, the potential is glaring when you factor in the continent’s burgeoning youth population, the digital aptitude of the younger generation and the enterprising spirit of young people.
“But a lot of work has to go into making that vision. If we read the statistics correctly, the world’s biggest drug problem of the future could be in Africa. Therefore, the future could be bright or bleak; it could be one of boom or gloom; it could be decades of prosperity or problems depending on the amount of work we are willing to do today. Tomorrow, the saying goes, belongs to the people who prepare for it today”.
In his welcome remarks, the chairman of the Island Club, Omoba Rotimi Olasode Martins, acknowledged Marwa’s unwavering commitment to combating drug abuse, adding that “his wealth of experience in tackling this scourge inspires us all.”
He described “drug abuse as a menace that has infiltrated every layer of our society, threatening our youth, destabilising families, and undermining the socio-economic fabric of our nation.”
