A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, has called on the Federal Government to declare drug abuse and proliferation of illicit drugs a national emergency to save the nation's future.
Ogbara (APC-Kosofe) made this call while speaking at her Constituency Town Hall Meeting on Friday in Lagos.
The lawmaker noted that a large percentage of Nigerian youths were into drugs, saying drug abuse was capable of ruining not only lives but also the nation.
Ogbara said that she had been going around schools to sensitise students to the dangers of drug abuse to discourage the illicit use of drugs.
“My drug abuse campaign is continuous and the Federal Government must see the issue as an emergency. The government should do something very soon.
“The issue of drug abuse should not be taken lightly. We should be talking about 90 per cent of our youths, including housewives, women, secondary and primary school students.
“We should not handle this with levity; it is a big matter on our hands. We must rise up before it consumes us. May God not allow it to consume us,” she said.
The lawmaker said that she was in collaboration with the National Psychiatric Hospital, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other stakeholders, to create awareness of the dangers of drug abuse.
“Some young people have come forward for rehabilitation and we are working on them. This is an area I am very passionate about,” she added.
Ogbara said that the meeting was an opportunity for her to give an account of her stewardship and to receive feedback towards improving her performance as a representative of the constituency.
Highlighting some of her achievements since assuming office, Ogbara said that she had moved six motions and that three of her bills had scaled first reading.
Ogbara said the bills included: The National Senior Citizens Centres Act (Amendment Bill) 2023Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (Amendment Bill) 2023 and the Federal Medical Centre Kosofe Lagos State (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
Earlier, some constituents took turns to appeal for Ogbara’s interventions on challenges such as the lack of potable water and street lights, markets, motor parks and health centres in some areas.
The constituents also called for better roads, more schools and a better drainage system in the constituency.
Responding, Ogbara who noted that her function remained lawmaking, said she had gone further to lobby for capital projects in the constituency.
According to her, efforts are being made to address the problem of water in many parts of the constituency.
Ogbara said she was working with the House Committee on Power to have street lights in the constituency.
The lawmaker added she facilitated university admission for no fewer than 200 students in the constituency, who sat and passed the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In his goodwill message, a traditional ruler, Oba Isiaka Balogun-Oyero, the Oba of Ketu Land, applauded Ogbara for all she had done since she was elected to represent the constituency.
“She (Ogbara) has done a lot for us in the last six months. I congratulate you. What you did in six months, some people could not do them in one year or four years.
“Things are tough, but we pray there will be ease and food scarcity will come to an end,” the Oba said.
Balogun-Oyero prayed to God to expose those behind insecurity in the country, which he partly blamed for the food crisis in the country.
“I use the crown to beg all leaders in Yorubaland to be patient with President Bola Tinubu. Please, be patient with him,” he added.
Pa Stephen Adeola Oyedele, the APC Apex leader in Kosofe added that Ogbara had recorded achievements noticeable tun all parts of the constituency.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was graced by party faithful, religious and traditional leaders, traders, and artisans among others.