The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti
Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has charged members and stakeholders in the state committee for drug control to come up with strategies to successfully combat drug abuse in the state.
Mrs. Otti made the charge yesterday in a critical meeting of the State Drug Control Committee at Government House in Umuahia.
She expressed that concerted efforts are needed to combat the menace.
According to her, “as the wife of the governor, I’m deeply concerned about the devastating impact of drug abuse on our youths, communities, families, and individuals.
“As a responsible citizen and a concerned individual, I believe it’s our collective duty to combat this problem,” she said.
The Abia First Lady explained that drug abuse is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive approach, hence committee members must put on their thinking cap to come up with strategies to wage this war on drug abuse.
She noted that the problem of drug abuse would not be solved by way of law enforcement or even by provision of quality healthcare services alone.
However, Mrs. Otti highlighted measures that would tackle the root causes to includes education, prevention, and community engagement as effective approaches to combat drug abuse.
“We must work together to create awareness about the risks associated with drug abuse, provide support to those struggling with addiction, and advocate for policies that prioritize prevention and rehabilitation over punishment.
“We need to bring together government agencies, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, and community leaders to share knowledge, resources, and best practices and by working together we can develop effective strategies to prevent drug abuse, treat addiction, and support recovery.” Mrs. Otti said.
The governor’s wife however, assured those struggling with addiction that “there is hope” because the Drug Control Committee was out to assist them rebuild their shattered lives.
In her remarks, the coordinator of the National Drug Control Master plan of NDLEA, Mrs. ibiba Odili, said that the intervention on drug abuse has to be extended to rural areas as well as teaching children to know that abusing drugs have devastating consequences.
Ibiba lauded Governor Alex Otti for providing preventive factors in the fight against drug abuse in Abia, and also encouraged him to pay more attention in implementing these preventive factors to end drug abuse in the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Enoch Uche represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr. Ifeyinwa umah–Kalu commended Mrs. Otti for the initiatives to fight drug abuse.
Umah-kalu advocated that drug testing should be introduced in schools.
Meanwhile, the committee agreed to work collectively to ensure that the interventions are not in vain but to achieve the desired results.
