Kwara State government said it will continue to invest in initiatives and policies that empower young people and make drug abuse and crimes unattractive to them.
The special assistant to the state governor on Drug Abuse, Prevention and Control, Hon. Aileru Olalekan Mukail stated this at the second edition of the Kwara State Stakeholders’ Summit on Drug Abuse, Prevention and Control in Ilorin, the state capital.
Mukail said some of the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s legacy projects and social protection programmes such as the Ilorin Innovation Hub, the Sugar Film Factory, the Garment Factory, and Kwapreneur were designed to create employment, foster entrepreneurship, and empower young people with the necessary skills to build successful careers.
“This gathering reflects our collective commitment to tackling the growing menace of drug abuse, particularly the rising crisis of synthetic drugs, which poses a significant threat to public health, security, and the future of our youths.
“The administration of His Excellency the Governor is investing in youth empowerment programmes and projects to create employment, foster entrepreneurship, and empower our young people with the necessary skills to build successful careers.
“Such initiatives not only secure the economic future of our youth but also steer them away from the dangers of drug abuse, Aileru said.
He added that the administration has introduced a mandatory drug testing policy for students at the tertiary level as part of measures to easily identify students who abuse drugs and rehabilitate them, noting this will ensure a safer and more productive academic environment.
“As part of our continued efforts, today marks another significant milestone as our government unveils the State Drug Prevention Campus Ambassadors – a group of dedicated volunteers who will work closely with us in addressing drug use across tertiary institutions,” he said.
He said the government will continue to strengthen policies, enhance awareness, and invest in prevention and rehabilitation programmes to safeguard the future of the state.
Attended by senior government officials, traditional rulers, youth, and students, the session also featured paper presentations, panel discussion, award presentations, and dramas displayed by students.
The chairman, Kwara State House of Assembly Committee on Information and Youth, Rukayat Shittu said findings show that most drug addicts are products of poor parenting or matrimonial crisis, and called for a proper parenting system that “can breed a generation that we will be proud of”.
The Oloro of Oro, Oba Joel Titiloye advised the youths to preserve their mental health for productive use by eschewing abuse of drugs and to stop taking celebrities who indulge in it as their role models.
The director general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mal. Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a keynote address said there was a need for a multi-sectoral approach such as a community-driven, intelligence-based enforcement, as well as legislation to strengthen the fight against drug abuse.
He commended Governor AbdulRazaq and Hon. Aileru for championing the campaign, pledging the NOA’s continued support to eradicate criminality across the country.
The chief medical director of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Budo – Egba, Asa LGA of Kwara, Prof. Baba Awoye listed poverty, weak enforcement of drug laws, peer pressure, and social influence, as well as accessibility as some of the factors contributing to synthetic drug use.
