The Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF) has called upon the Federal and State Governments to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
The call was made during a two-day Drug Prevention Treatment and Care (DPTC) training organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja.
The Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF), led by Chairperson Olufolake Abdulrasaq, wife of the Kwara governor, issued a communique urging the Federal and State Governments to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
The call to action came at the conclusion of a two-day Drug Prevention Treatment and Care (DPTC) training organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for wives of state governors in Abuja.
The forum emphasised the urgent need to revitalise the State Drug Control Committees (SDCC) and expand rehabilitation programs to address both the physical and mental health aspects of drug addiction and harm reduction.
Additionally, the governors’ wives agreed to foster good parenting practices, support NDLEA's Drug Integrity Testing Policy for early detection of drug use, and enhance collaboration between state governments, NDLEA, and other security agencies in combating drug use and trafficking.
Furthermore, the forum resolved to establish standard drug rehabilitation centres across the country, appoint first ladies as chairs of the SDCC, and adopt DPTC programs as forum projects chaired by the first ladies of the states.
They also noted the importance of reducing stigmatisation and cultural barriers to treatment, creating skill acquisition centres, and providing employment opportunities for young people to mitigate the risk of drug use and trafficking.
The governors’ wives stated the detrimental impact of drug use on criminality, school dropout rates, social and health issues, family problems, and national security.
They commended NDLEA's efforts under the leadership of retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, including awareness-raising, counselling, and rehabilitation initiatives.
In his closing remarks, Marwa applauded the commitment of the first ladies to the DPTC training and urged them to implement the lessons learned in their respective statements to combat drug abuse effectively.