All Hands Must Be On deck To Fight Drug Abuse:Erepa

 

The Assistant Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Bayelsa State, Godwin Erepa has called on all to join hands in fighting drug abuse in the society.

Speaking on Tuesday during the fifth edition of the state peace architecture  stakeholders meeting in Yenagoa, the Assistant Commander disclosed that in every five people abusing drugs, one  must be a woman.

He also revealed that 14.3 Million Nigerians are currently abusing drugs adding that adding that even though it is said that some countries have legalized the use of Cannabis, the  chemical contained in  Nigerian Cannabis is higher.

He said that Cannabis of other countries is less intoxicating than that of Nigeria maintaining that the tetrahydrocannabinol that is contained in that of Nigeria is about 3-5% while that of other countries is about 0.002%.

Maintaining that more rehabilitation centers are needed in the state, he advised  the youths to desist from abusing drugs

Erepa stated:"The drug issue is not only confined to Bayelsa alone. It is a national problem that was  why I  said, all hands must be on deck. Don't leave it for NDLEA alone or Police or Immigration or Army or whatever. No. Everybody has a role to play, traditional rulers, community leaders, organizations, schools even market women because the drug problem affects everybody.

" Whether you are a drug user or not, it affects you directly or indirectly. About 14.3 Million Nigerians abuse drugs. Before trek two or three poles in Yenagoa, you must see a mentally deranged boy or young girl and these are young  children under the ages of twenty to twenty two years as a result of engaging in drugs and substance abuse. It is so alarming and frightening. 

"These are people we said are leaders of Tommorow. Are these leaders that will lead us tomorrow? That means that the country will not be safe because it will get to a stage where a dealer will be our  local government chairman   and others. Then nobody will be safe in the country. That is why I said, all hands must be on deck to fight this menace now before it gets to that point.

"We have a rehabilitation centre quite alright but taking into consideration of our state with difficult terrain, somebody that  is suffering from drug abuse  inside Southern Ijaw, Brass, how will the parents bring that child to Yenagoa capital for rehabilitation?

"You may even even get here  and they may be told that t there is no space in the facility. That is why we are calling for collaborative efforts to expand the existing rehabilitation centre so that it can accommodate more and even have some in the LGAs and all the Senatorial  Districts so as to lesson the pressure in the state capital here.

He called for a collective effort  for all to be committed "and  make sure that we put this issue aside. If we can't eradicate it, let us alteast bring it to the barest minimum. Everybody is involved and all has to collaborate because everyone has a role to play in this drug fight."

Also speaking, Nyaname Apere who represented  Watson Alfred Belemote, Commissioner for Community Development in Bayelsa State who is also  the chairman of State Peace Architecture, maintained that  the state was delighted to partner with Search for  Common Ground  in the state.

He said   for any tangible development to tale place in any community, there is always need for peace from every  stakeholder adding that "the various reports that we have received from the local government's peace architecture so far shows that  there is peace.

"The target is to reduce possible crimes and criminality as much as possible  in the  communities and Search has done alot in that regard and we also pray that mpre NGOs should come to join us and make sure that we achieve this and it will ultimately help the country.

 Speaking bon the effects of drug abuse, he said "As state government, we are very concerned about this drug abuse that is seriously affecting our people. The wealth of every nation lies on the youth. 

"So, when the youths are badly affected by drugs, it is  a problem. We are looking forward to partnering with NDLEA to see how we can reduce the problem  to the barest minimum.

Friday Otor, the  early warning and early response officer for Search for Common Ground  disclosed that I'm the course of their working across the sixteen communities, the issue of drug abuse always comes up.

" It is on the rise. We want the state government to also be involved in curbing this menace. It is now like a wild fire and it is spreading very fast 

It is not only in Bayelsa here, already  it is across board and I want the state governments and the Federal Government to look into it and we at search for Common Ground is working so hard to ensure that we bring this issue to the minimal level.

He said that  youths can indulge in drug abuse as a result of frustration  adding many youths are on the streets doing nothing. 

"It  is also so important for Bayelsa State Government to try and create sustainable jobs for these youths to distract them from drug abuse and other crimes.

 As an exiting strategy  he said that Search has built an early warning observer, a volunteer platform where it added most of the key stakeholders so that they will be tracking issues and report back to search. 

"They will be reporting early warning issues and we will be providing early response as well. All these are exit strategies so that when we pull  out, we will ensure that peace will continue in the region."

In his contribution Timliaemi Ekpoebimere, Chief Superintendent of Correction, in charge of Human Resource in Okaka Correctional Center, disclosed that the center that supposed to hold only 300 inmates now has about 1000 inmates maintaining that there should be  like three more correctional centers in the state.

He also disclosed that there is no adequate skill acquisition center in the facility maintaining that in other states, such things do exist.

The officer asked that  the National Open  University should be established at the center to make it easy for the inmates to be educated even while in the prison.

Arguing that  people with simple offences should not be sent to prison, he disclosed that there are custodian crimes and none custodian crimes adding that simple offenders should not be sent to Okaka Prison.