The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has taken its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) to heads of federal establishments in Enugu State.
The NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Bassey Anietie, said that the move was one of the measures the agency had deployed with a view to winning the war.
Anietie, who spoke on Thursday during a meeting of the association of heads of federal establishments in Enugu, said that it was vital that the association embraced the crusade.
The commander, who was represented by the Deputy State Commander, NDLEA, Mrs Bridget Edeh, said that such advocacy was a deliberate move to get civil servants involved.
“Our chief executive deemed it fit that we go on advocacy, soliciting for the support of other sister organisations.
“This is with a view to carrying the message against drug abuse to the grassroots.
“This meeting is one of those areas where we should take this message to because you have workers under you,” he said.
Anietie described the message against drug abuse as vital, adding that no society with illicit drug abuse prevalence would survive.
He said that the current spate of insecurity and insurgency in the country were fallout of illicit drug abuse.
“Drug abuse is a pandemic that cuts across all strata of the society and that is why we believe that you are in a position to take this message forward,” Anietie said.
Responding, the Chairperson, Association of Heads of Federal Establishments, Enugu, Mrs Lucy Ijetta, assured the agency that the association would do its best to spread the message.
Ijetta said that the crusade against illicit drug abuse had become more expedient considering the situation in the country.
She urged members of the association not to relent at ensuring that the message was taken to their respective organisations.
In a lecture, the Assistant Commander, Narcotics, Mr Eyuche Ome, said that the crusade against drug abuse was fashioned out in collaboration with other state actors.
Ome said that the major aim was to improve health, security, and wellbeing of all persons living in Nigeria.
He said that substance use disorders presented a growing problem to Nigeria’s already belaboured healthcare system.
“It is on this premise that the agency finds it pertinent to cascade this envisioned strategy to the states and local governments for wider collaboration,” Ome said.
Ikengaonline reports that the highlight of the event was the endorsement of the WADA by members of the association.
