… Oborevwori To Flag-Off Drug Free Delta Campaign Feb 3 at Unity Halll
By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh
Delta State Government has again emphasized the need for good parenting, and called on parents to bring up their children well, and help them grow into responsible adults, free from deviance lifestyle and use of hard drugs.
The Director-General of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, made the call at a joint press conference with the state commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Commander Wada Abubakar, and the state Director of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mrs Tracy Ikolomi, on the forthcoming Drug Free Delta Sensitization Campaign.
He said good parenting connotesactively raising a child with love, support, clear expectations, consistent discipline, open communication, and a focus on fostering their individual development and well-being, allowing them to grow into responsible and independent adults.
Dr. Oghenesivbe disclosed that the state governor, Dr (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori, is pained by the increasing rate of drug abuse, and the declining moral standard among youth and irresponsible lifestyle, which was why he mandated the Bureau to embark on the campaign in collaboration with NDLEA and NOA, with a view to creating result oriented awareness about the dangers of illicit drugs and drug abuse.
The State Bureau Chief, said the joint sensitization campaign has become necessary due to the high rate of substance abuse among Deltans between age 15 to 64 years, particularly youths, pointing out that the state wide Drug Free Delta campaign would be taken to selected senior secondary schools across the three senatorial districts in the first phase.
He noted that the awareness campaign would begin with a flag-off ceremony to be declared open by the State Governor, Dr Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday 3rd of February, 2025 at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, and would end with a closing ceremony on Tuesday 18th of February, 2025 at Orerokpe, in Okle Local Government Area of Delta State.
“We shall be in schools to sensitize the students on the dangers of drug abuse and on the need for behavioural change. We need to catch them young. I call on the media to drive the message to the public on the dangers of drug abuse and on the need for Deltans to stay away from drugs; also, he task parents to bring up their children well,” he remarked.
Dr Oghenesivbe assured that the partnership with NDLEA and NOA would foster the establishment of Wada Drug Club in all schools visited and encourage the students academically through drama, essay and quiz competitions.
On his part, the State Commander of NDLEA, Commander Abubakar Wada, commended the state government for the passion and interest it has in combating the use of illicit drugs and to bring its use to the barest minimum.
He explained that the use of hard drugs is associated with all forms of criminality such as armed robbery, rape, ritual killings, kidnapping, avoidable accidents among others, charging all stakeholders to take the fight against the use of illicit drugs seriously to ensure a lasting solution.
He lamented that the channels of supply of illicit drugs such as codeine and tramadol into the state poses huge problem, analyzing that if the consumers do not have access to such drugs, they would not buy them.
He said NDLEA is deploying different strategies as counselling services, tracking and blocking of sources of supply and drug integrity test to tackle the problems of hard drugs in the state.
In his words, “The NDLEA has arrested 854 suspect, seized over 595.3301 KG bags of hard drugs, 613.683 litres of drugs in liquid form, destroyed one hectare of cannabis farmland, successfully organized 70 sensitization programmes, has 604 addicts on counselling, 9 addicts on rehabilitation, 266 convictions among others.”
Also, the State Director of NOA, Mrs Tracy Ikolomi called for a collective effort by all stakeholders in tackling the ills of drug abuse in Nigeria, advocating for strengthening of the law enforcement agencies, training of their workforce and seeking international cooperation in order to tackle the menace of drug abuse more effectively.
The highpoint of the ceremony was the unveiling of the branded t-shirts, face-caps, posters and banners for the Drug Free Delta Sensitization Campaign.
