Video: President reiterates support on fight against drug abuse, youths empowerment

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the Federal Government’s support to all groups involved in the fight against drug abuse, challenges facing women and children in IDP camps as well as women and youth empowerment.

At a meeting with Nigerian Governors wives in Abuja on Sunday, Buhari expressed delight at the various programmes by the wives of the 36 States governors aimed at touching the lives of Nigerians, especially women and children.

He commended their efforts for identifying with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by providing relief materials and medication to their various camps.

”I am very pleased with your activities, this shows how much you care about this disadvantaged children.

”I also appreciate the fact that you are visiting this drug addicts victims by advocating for their healthcare and rehabilitation,” he said.

Buhari also informed the visiting Governors wives that the recent directive on the ban on the production and consumption of codeine syrup was as a result of the proliferation of illicit drugs in the country.

”So, I will ask the Governors to give you more time and resources so that they can have some relief too because you are doing a good job,” Buhari said.

He said the Federal Government would facilitate a partnership between Governors wives, Central Bank of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Agriculture towards providing soft loans to assist women and youths.

In her welcome address, the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, said the Governors wives were in the State House to update the President on their activities and challenges faced in their bid to address maternal and child health in Nigeria.

The wife of the president also informed the President that the delegation were at the presidential villa to seek for his fatherly advise for the forum to achieve the mission and vision of the forum.

In her address, the chairperson of the Northern Governors wives forum and wive of the Bauchi state Governor, Mrs Hadiza Abubakar, said that the forum had impacted on the lives of women and children in the region.

Hadiza said that the forum served as a platform through which the Governors wives advocate for girl-child education, maternal and child health as well as rehabilitating the victims of drug abuse in North.

She also said that the forum provided skills acquisition for women and youths in the 19 northern States.

On her part, the chairperson of the Southern Governors wives forum and wife of Governor of Imo State Mrs Nkechi Okorocha, said women in the region suffered cases of child molestation and sex abuse especially as it relates to the baby factory.

Okorocha appealed to the President to provide moral and financial support for the forum to achieve their set objectives.

The delegation who came under the auspices of the Northern and Southern Governors wives forum, solicited for financial support from their spouses in order to intervene in the pathetic situation of their people at the grassroots.