Drug War: Obaseki Partners NDLEA, To Inaugurate Drug Control Committee
LAGOS JANUARY 31ST (NEWSRANGERS)-Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has expressed his willingness to partner with the State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by inaugurating the State Drug Control Committee in seven days.
The governor made this known in Benin City during a working visit by the NDLEA Edo State commander, Mr Buba Wakawa and his team at the government house.
Obaseki, the Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele, the Permanent Secretary Cabinet, SamOko-Ose and the Chief Security Officer Haruna Yusuf while receiving the NDLEA team thanked the anti-drug agency for the persistent clampdown on drug trafficking cartels in the State despite the daunting challenges confronting them in the discharge of their duties. In his words,
“Within the next seven days, the State Drug Control Committee will be inaugurated. We are going to work closely with the ministries of Women Affairs and Health to provide a rehabilitation centre for the command to reduce the problem of substance abuse in the State. The collapsed perimeter wall of the office complex will be reconstructed”.
In addition, the governor promised to establish a specialized Forestry Commission. “In order to strengthen Forest guards for the effective protection of our forests, we are going to make the Forestry Commission more vibrant. We are worried the activities of cannabis cultivators and the State is prepared to collaborate with the NDLEA to reduce the drug problem in the State. We appreciate your strategies to reduce the supply and demand of drugs through arrests and seizures and public enlightenment”.
The NDLEA commander, Mr Buba Wakawa in his remarks said that “no one country, Agency or stakeholder however richly endowed can successfully tackle the problem of drugs alone. Expectedly, in line with the United Nations principle of collective responsibility in drug control programmes, I strongly appeal that the State partner with the Agency in combating drug cartels and helping youths overcome drug abuse as well as related vices in our society”.
According to the commander, statistics of drug seizures in the State is worrisome. ” Edo is among the highest cannabis producing States in the country. The growing volume of cannabis cultivation and trafficking pose a serious security threat in terms of the estimated value of the illicit market and colossal impact of drug use. The situation is frightening given the fact that drug use is proportional to the rate of crime. Our findings indicate that most government forest reserves in the State have been converted to cannabis colonies”.
Wakawa while expressing confidence on the collaboration between the Agency and the State government said that better days lie ahead for drug control programmes in the State. He was accompanied by the Assistant commander operations Mr Peter Ogar and Assistant commander administration, Usman Sule. Others are Area commanders and principal staff officers.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jan 31 2018. Filed under National, State.
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