Winning the war against drug abuse pivotal to Next Level mandate of my administration, says President Buhari

PMB-Marwa.jpg

President Muhammadu Buhari receiving the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse from the Chairman of the Committee retired Brig.-Gen Buba Marwa at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday (18/10/2019).

Share with love

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that winning the war against drug abuse remains one of the critical elements of the Next Level mandate of this administration.

From left: President Muhammadu Buhari; First Lady, Dr Aisha Buhari; Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse, retired Brig.-Gen Buba Marwa during the presentation of the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse to the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday (18/10/2019)

This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, sent to The DEFENDER.

Receiving the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA), Friday in the State House, Adesina said, President Buhari reiterated the commitment of government to the welfare of the citizenry by fighting the scourge of drug abuse.

“Winning the war becomes one of the critical elements of the Next Level mandate of this administration.  As a government, we have the responsibility to ensure the security and well-being of our people.

“Our findings have shown that it is more difficult to bring down crime rate to acceptable levels without clearing our country of substances abuse,” the President said.

President Buhari, however, realising the enormity of the menace, solicited for cooperation of all and sundry. He called on all well-meaning Nigerians and international partners to join hands with relevant government agencies in the fight against drug abuse.

While thanking the committee for its timely and diligent prosecution of the assignment, the President assured that the matter was of utmost importance, and the report would be studied along with the recommendations.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd) had told the President  that since the committee was inaugurated in December, 2018, it interfaced with a wide spectrum of stakeholders including Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Non-Governmental organisations, Civil Society Organisations, Faith-based Organisations, professional bodies, international partners and members of drug user communities with their parents, teachers and care givers.

He added that the assignment, which took members to all the geopolitical zones of the country, confirmed the fears of President Buhari that Nigeria had a very strong drug problem that needed to be tackled as a national emergency.

He, however, said the key to tackling the menace is a formal launch of a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) as part of  declaration of a state of emergency on the menace as well as the establishment of a National Drug Control Commission.


Share with love
Top