June 26, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has launched the “Save Our Families” (SOF) campaign to combat drug abuse in Nigeria.
The campaign, led by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), focuses on early detection through home drug testing kits, encouraging families to test their children regularly.
Represented by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, President Tinubu launched the campaign at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, on Wednesday, in commemoration of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse And Illicit Drug Trafficking (World Drug Day).
President Tinubu, who was the Special Guest of Honour, reaffirmed his commitment to combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking, emphasising the importance of investing in prevention to tackle the global challenge of drug abuse.
“Prevention not only saves lives; it also saves resources that would otherwise be spent on treatment and rehabilitation. homes, schools, workplaces and others,” he said.
The President emphasised that illicit drugs and substances have wreaked havoc on individuals, families, communities, and countries worldwide, with devastating socio-economic and health consequences that put a strain on healthcare systems and impose a burden on governments and people.
According to him, investing in prevention is a prudent way of safeguarding the future, as it empowers individuals to make informed choices, promotes healthy lifestyles, and creates resilient communities capable of withstanding the pressures of drug abuse.
President Tinubu expressed support for the NDLEA’s fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, as well as its ramped-up efforts to prevent the Nigerian populace from falling prey to the drug scourge.
“I enjoin all and sundry to support the War Against Drug Abuse initiative, otherwise known as the WADA campaign, launched by NDLEA three years ago. I commend and urge everyone to redouble their efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the country.
“On this score, I wish to reassure you of this administration’s support. The Renewed Hope Agenda places the youth at the centre of its focus. Therefore, we ensure that our young people are protected from anything that could derail their future or destroy their potential.
“This is an assignment for all patriotic citizens of this country, including religious leaders, traditional leaders, educational institutions, opinion leaders, and civil society organisations. NDLEA has created a formidable platform for cooperation vis-à-vis its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy initiative,” he said.
Speaking more on the SOF campaign, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), said the initiative is to encourage families to test their children regularly, serving as a deterrent for potential drug use.
Speaking on the theme for this year’s World Drug Day, Marwa said drug use prevention lies at the heart of NDLEA’s strategy in addressing the drug problem because it is far more effective and cost-efficient to prevent drug abuse than to deal with its consequences.
He said the ‘Save Our Families’ social advocacy campaign is designed to prevent and tackle drug use through early detection and intervention by making the Agency’s newly produced special drug test kits a necessity in every home, school and workplace.
According to him, “The Agency has introduced the Drug Integrity Test initiative anticipated to metamorphose into an anti-drug culture for every Nigerian. The test is intended for secondary school students, students seeking admission into tertiary institutions and returning students, workers in government and private offices and individuals seeking political offices as well as prospective couples before taking their marriage vows.
“The drug test will serve as a tool for the prevention of drug use and early detection of the individual’s status of drug use for the purpose of appropriate intervention, including treatment and rehabilitation. Let me also add that our drug integrity test, which has been adopted by some government institutions and tertiary institutions in the country, is a preventive mechanism.
“As a result, we have produced tens of thousands of special test kits capable of detecting 15 different substances, now available in all our commands across the country. This is for use in homes, schools, workplaces and others. Apart from helping in early detection of drug abuse, especially by our youths so that we can get them help in the form of treatment, this will also create some deterrence effects.”
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