Education, employment keys to reducing drug abuse, says Marwa

News Agency Of Nigeria 16:38 - 03 April 2019

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Buba Marwa

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has said that Nigeria must retool its education system to allow more children into schools as a way of minimising drug abuse in the country.

Marwa said during a working visit to Malam Nigger Rehabilitation Center at Rigasa in Kaduna, a drug rehab centre, noted that most active drug users were in it due to lack of opportunities including education and employment.

“Poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunities to advance in life has made many of our active youths to go into drugs; the situation is very alarming.”

He said the country must enable more than 14 miĺlion children currently out-of-school to get back to school, and evolve effective supervision to ensure they get education.

Marwa said his committee had gone round the country and documented its findings, and expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari would fully implement the recommendations.

The former Lagos State military Governor called on parents to offer proper upbringing to their children and always scrutinise them and those they mingle with.

On his part, Malam Lawal Maduru, founder of the rehabilitation center, thanked Marwa for the visit, stressing that it would encourage them to do more toward rehabilitating drug addicts.