Buba Marwa, chairman of NDLEA; George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF); Chrysolite Chibuike Promise, winner of the NDLEA inter-secondary school essay competition 2024; his mother; and Ngozi Madubuike, NDLEA's director of drug demand reduction, during the presentation of the prize award to Chibuike at the commemoration of World Drug Day at the State House conference centre, Abuja, on Wednesday.
President Bola Tinubu says efforts to address drug abuse in the country must target motor parks, markets, and schools.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday at the celebration of World Drug Day at the State House banquet hall in Abuja.
‘The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention,’ is the theme of this year’s World Drug Day.
Tinubu said the theme speaks volumes about where the global community, individual countries, and institutions need to commit more resources in the “collective quest to stamp out the consequences of the abuse of illicit drugs”.
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The president said illicit drugs and substances have wreaked havoc on individuals, noting that the socioeconomic and health consequences are placing a burden on healthcare systems, the government, and people.
“In the face of such a formidable challenge, prevention is the most potent weapon that we can deploy,” he said.
“Prevention not only saves lives; it also saves resources that would otherwise be spent on treatment and rehabilitation.
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“It empowers individuals to make informed choices, promotes healthy lifestyles, and creates resilient communities capable of withstanding the pressures of drug abuse.
“Investing in prevention is not merely a moral imperative but a prudent way of safeguarding our future. By allocating resources towards evidence-based prevention programmes, we can break the vicious cycle of drug abuse and protect our youth from falling prey to the menace.
“Prevention efforts must be comprehensive and target all the elements of society, namely schools, markets, motor parks, workplaces, and communities.
“It must involve all stakeholders, and we all must become stakeholders because the drug problem requires a whole-of-society approach, as no single entity can tackle it alone.”
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The president urged all Nigerians to support the war against drug abuse (WADA) initiative launched by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He added that his administration places youths at the centre and would support NDLEA to build on the success recorded in the past few years.
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