Marwa charges stakeholders to resolve against drug challenges

The Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, gave the charge during the opening of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

Marwa said that there was a need for stakeholders to come together with their voices, passion and optimism to bear in the deliberations.

“May we remain open and forthright in pursuit of our shared goal: the enhancement of health and security for all residents of Nigeria, in line with the aspirations of the NDCMP 2021–2025,” he said.

He assessed the major programmes implemented across the strategic pillars of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) in 2023 and 2024.

“I can confirm that we have collectively made commendable progress on the Fourth National Action Plan in comparison with previous iterations.

“Under the Supply Reduction pillar, our operational efforts and strategic offensives led to the arrest of 31,334 drug offenders, of whom 6,839 were convicted.

“We also recorded the seizure of 4,333,636.9 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and undertook the destruction of 426.46724 hectares of cannabis farms.

“Under the Drug Demand Reduction strategic pillar, we provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 19,033 individuals.

“By accelerating our War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities across states, local government areas, wards and communities, we have been able to intentionally disseminate awareness of the dangers of drug abuse to diverse population groups,” Marwa said.

He said the development fostered a sense of shared ownership and collective commitment in the national effort to curb substance abuse, trafficking, and proliferation across the country.

Speaking, Mr Cheikh Toure, Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said that Nigeria stood at the crossroads of the public health and security sector when it comes to the drug response.

Toure, who was represented by Dr Akani Ibanga, said that the urgency of the mission could not be overstated.

“Drug use, as we know, is associated with various things from health to safety to productivity to cohesion and, in fact, to how we respond at the level of our community.

“As we gather, we must be guided with data, and I’m glad how the chairman has detailed the responses that have gone on in the different sectors.

“These are both in terms of supply reduction, demand reduction, and also when it has to do with access to medications.

“We have a country where at least three million people are said to be suffering from drug use disorder.

“When we did this calculation and we have 39.5 million in the world, that means we’re contributing 7.5 per cent to that data as a country.

“That is worrisome, and it calls for us to continue in this last leg of implementing the NDCMP to ensure that we are able to follow through.

“This should be with all the commitments so that the drug control master plan laid out for us to do, that we may address these issues that we face,” Toure said.(NAN)