Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has advised youths to shun the abuse of illicit drugs, substances and narcotics, but embrace productivity to be useful to themselves, families, the community or the society.
Uzodimma who spoke through his Special Adviser on Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring, Hon. Chief Ezechukwu Nnamdi Obonna, said he is very much concerned about the progress, success and goodness of Imo youths hence he created the office of Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring including appointment, empowerment of youths on digital skills, agriculture, among others.
The enlightenment program against drug abuse was held at Umuochuaku Civic Hall, Ezeagbo in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, on Sunday and was organized by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring, Hon. Chief Ezechukwu Nnamdi Obonna, the NDLEA and Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation. Over 1000 youths of Ezinihitte Mbaise attended the program with many of them promising to stop the use of hard, illicit drugs, substances and narcotics to become useful.
The Governor who said he will intensify effort through the creation of more admissible grounds to engage youths on positive activities to encourage them to desist entirely from abuse of illicit drugs, substances and narcotics, thanked Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for partnering with the state government to organize the awareness and enlightenment program against drug abuse at Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA.
“My motive of establishing the bureau of Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring is to make Imo a drug free state which will go a long way to making Imo a great state as youths are the future of tomorrow and catalyst for development. We are happy to partner with NDLEA, Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation to host the enlightenment program against drug abuse which is in response to the numerous challenging illicit drugs, substances and narcotics abuse problems we are facing in Imo State and Nigeria in general”, the Governor maintained.
While calling on the youth of Ezinihitte Mbaise to stop taking hard drugs, excess alcohol, cigarette and other negative substances to live healthy, happily and wealthy and be useful to themselves, families and society, Deputy State Commander, Operation and Training, DSC Lamuwa Shehu, Assistant State Commander, Drug Demand Reduction Unit and Superintendent of Narcotics, PSO Rehabilitation Treatment and Counseling, Ugbede Chiamaka, observed that youths who engage in illicit drugs do not live healthy nor become useful, as abuse of illicit drugs, excess cigarette smoking and alcohol intake damage organs in the body.
They noted that drug abuse is a global problem which ought to be discarded, saying about 280 million people use drug worldwide, while 15 million persons abuse drugs in Nigeria, 6 million people are victims who are in dare need of help. They urged government to create more avenues to engage youths productively to spur them to shy away from hard drugs.
Stating that he has been in the vanguard of empowering youths through sports,
Founder, Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation, Dr. Summers VC Nwokie (Ikukuoma Mbaise), disclosed that the program was geared to encourage the youth of Ezinihitte Mbaise to shun hard drug intake and abuse and engage in meaningful trade and commercial activities to better their lives.
Ikukuoma Mbaise thanked the Imo State Government and NDLEA for partnering with Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation to host the awareness and enlightenment program at the locality.
