Marwa charges stakeholders to tackle drug abuse

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has charged parents and other stakeholders to rise up to the challenge of ensuring that illicit substances were kept away from young Nigerians.

The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, made the call at the Realnews Magazine 10th year anniversary lecture on Thursday in Lagos.

In a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi in Abuja, Marwa warned that complacency was capable of compromising the bright future ahead of the youth population.

He said “let me leave us with a thought-provoking submission about the danger of complacency in tackling drug abuse among youths.

“By 2030, demographic factors project the number of people using drugs to rise by 11 per cent around the world, and as much as 40 per cent in Africa alone.

“This is an early warning that we should all take serious and ensure that we keep our young people away from dangerous substances that compromise the bright future ahead of them, ” he said.

The NDLEA boss said that instead of benefitting from the advantages of the huge youth population in Nigeria, the reverse might be the case.

This, he said, would be if relevant stakeholders failed to stand up and join ongoing efforts against the drug scourge.

According to him, “It is globally recognised that one of Africa’s comparative advantages is its huge youth population.

“This country, Nigeria, for instance, has no less than 151 million young people, accounting for 70% of our estimated 217 million population.

“Most of us don’t know what that means. Youth means creativity, strength, resourcefulness and productivity.

“But how do we rake in these benefits when a significant number of this population is involved in the abuse of illicit substances?

“The truth is instead of a boom, they could become a burden because of abuse of illicit substances, “he said.

Marwa said that in response to whole-of-society approaches needed to ensure that people, young people most of all, have the information and develop the resilience to make good choices, especially as it relates to drug abuse.