President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday asked Nigerians to support the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), an initiative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the support is necessary to fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
Speaking on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, otherwise known as World Drug Day on Wednesday, 26th June 2024, at the State House Conference Centre Abuja, Tinubu assured the anti-narcotics agency of his administration’s support.
“I enjoin all and sundry to support the War Against Drug Abuse initiative, otherwise known as the WADA campaign, launched by NDLEA three years ago. I commend and urge everyone to redouble their efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the country,” Tinubu said.
“On this score, I wish to reassure you of this administration’s support. The Renewed Hope Agenda places the youth at the centre of its focus. Therefore, we ensure that our young people are protected from anything that could derail their future or destroy their potential.”
While noting that illicit drugs and substances have wreaked havoc on individuals, families, communities and countries worldwide, the President said: “In the face of such a formidable challenge, prevention is the most potent weapon that we can deploy. Prevention not only saves lives; it also saves resources that would otherwise be spent on treatment and rehabilitation. 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, 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.
“The assignment before us as a country requires that we prioritise evidence-based prevention strategies, allocate adequate resources and foster partnerships for greater impact.”
He consequently gave strong assurances that: “This government will support NDLEA to build on the success recorded in the past few years. We shall work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we have positive statistics from the next national drug use survey that will be conducted in the country.”
