ABUJA: The Nigerian National Assembly has stepped up the war against drug abuse and trafficking by seeking for inclusion of parents in it.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the call for parents’ inclusion in the war by the National Assembly came from its joint committee on Drugs and Narcotics during a one-day sensitization programme organized in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Drugs Monitoring (NANDRUM).
In his speech at the event themed: ‘Parents Inclusion in the Fight Against Drug Abuse and Reckless Behaviours’, the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio, emphasized the necessity and criticality of involving parents in this fight. Senator Akpabio, represented by the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Lola Ashiru, pointed out that the epidemic of drug abuse and trafficking should be tackled from home fronts led by parents.
He stated, “Getting parents involved in the fight against drug abuse is taking the battle to the basis and tackli
ng the menace right from the home front since those indulging in it, come from different homes before hitting the streets as drug addicts or traffickers.”
The theme of the sensitization programme, highlighting the dangers of drug abuse, was praised as very apt and necessary for an effective fight against the menace. Senator Akpabio further remarked, “The fight against drugs abuse is indeed, a fight for our posterity requiring parents to be on the front lines being the guiding force in their children’s lives.”
He urged all parents to embrace this responsibility with unwavering determination, saying, “The greatest gift any parent can give to children is not riches but the spirit of adventure, the virtue of integrity and the gift of courage. Let us equip our children with the required tools they need to navigate life’s challenges without falling victim to the perils of drug abuse.”
In his remarks, Mallam Isa Garba, speaking on behalf of the Chairmen, Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Drugs and
Narcotics, stated that the sensitization programme was collaboratively organized to enhance the fight against drug abuse.