Introduce mechanisms to reduce drug abuse, restiveness - NGO

Malam Wada Maida, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has called on the Katsina State Government to introduce mechanisms that will reduce drug abuse and restiveness among youths in the state.

Maida, the chairman of Peace Builders and Security Concepts, an NGO based in Abuja, said this was imperative based on statistics of youths arrested by NDLEA in the state in the last 10 months.

“The state government has a responsibility of checkmating drug abuse and youth restiveness in the state."

“It is dangerous for a society like ours to allow these vices to take over the lives of our youths given our economic and educational challenges,’’ he said.

Maida said, “A recent report from the NDLEA showed that no fewer than 653 persons were arrested in the state in the last 10 months of this year."

“What made it more worrisome is the fact that majority of those arrested are between the ages of 18 years and 35 years; while some of them are females."

Maida said that the Peace Builders and Security Concept is an NGO with the main objective of sensitizing youths to the negative effects of drug abuse but embrace brighter future.

“The NGO is ready to see that the youth are protected from the menace of drugs, cultism and vandalism which seems to permeate our society” he said.

In his remarks, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Kabir, called on parents to give their children good home training.

The emir who was represented by Alhaji Lawal Bagiwa, the Sarkin-Falani Hamsheta, said that lack of quality education and home training had been the cause of drug abuse and misbehaviour in our society.

He called on the state government to provide skills’ acquisition centres where youth of the state could be trained.

“We want the state government to re-introduce technical education in our secondary schools so that the youth will have acquired a trade before completing their secondary education,’’ he said.