The MTN Foundation, a leading corporate social responsibility arm of MTN Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to empowering the youth and combating substance abuse, even as it has partnered with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to safeguard the youth.
Chairman of MTN Foundation, Dr. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, who made this known while discussing the organization’s anti-substance abuse initiative, in Lagos, over the weekend, averred that the future of Nigeria depends on its youth, and it is imperative to educate them about the dangers of substance abuse.
“If people know, or students know, or children know to say no to drugs, then as adults, they won’t be addicted to drugs,” she emphasised.
The MTN Foundation chairman identified peer pressure, idleness, and parental influence as major causes of substance abuse among young people, while stressing the need for parents to serve as positive role models and for young people to build confidence in themselves to resist peer pressure.
The initiative, which aims to cut substance abuse from the root, encourages young people to say no to drug abuse and promotes the importance of maintaining a healthy mind and body. Belo-Olusoga noted that prevention is better than cure, and the cost of prevention is much smaller than the cost of treating or solving the problem.
The first lady of Lagos state, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, also sounded the alarm on the growing menace of substance abuse among young people in the state. Speaking at the event, the first lady emphasised that substance abuse is a global problem that requires collective action to combat.
According to the Sanwo-Olu, substance abuse is destroying families, ruining lives, and posing a significant threat to the well-being of young people in Lagos State. She noted that the consequences of substance abuse are far-reaching, from increased aggression and violence to crime and mental health problems.
“We need to work together to ensure that our children are protected from the scourge of substance abuse. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our society to take action and prevent substance abuse,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Director at MTN Foundation, Ifeoma Okoye, added that the organization is taking a proactive approach to addressing substance abuse by intervening at the school level to catch students before they are exposed to the pressure of substance abuse.
The initiative also targets university students, leveraging the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to reach a wider audience.
“We need to take this fight down to the family level. We need to get parents into this conversation and let them know that substance abuse is not just about educational success, but also about their children’s health and well-being,” Okoye emphasized.
The organisation is working at all levels, from primary school to university, to educate students, teachers, and peer motivators about the dangers of substance abuse. “We are building a huge advocacy team made up of women, youth volunteers, and NYSC members. We need all hands on deck to fight this menace,” Okoye said.
The initiative has received support from the government, with the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, attending awareness campaigns. “This is the highest level of support you can get,” Okoye said.
Commander, Lagos Strategic Command, NDLEA, Abubakar Liman Wali, commended the MTN Foundation for its timely initiative, noting that fighting drug abuse requires a collective effort. “We all have to come out to see how we can invest in prevention, how to engage our youth, bring them close to us, empower them, for them to understand that prevention is better than cure,” he said.
The NDLEA Commander assured that his agency is committed to partnering with stakeholders to advocate for drug demand reduction. “We need to prevent drug use rather than investing in addiction, rehabilitation, or treatment,” he emphasised.
