By Victoria Hanson, LAGOS
The Director-General of the National Agency For Food Drug Administration ans Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye has said the Agency would intensify effort to tackle consumption of hard drugs among Nigerian youths.
She spoke at the sidelines of a two-day technical workshop preparatory to the Steering Committee Meeting of the West African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (WA-MRH) project meeting in Lagos.
It is estimated that over 40 million Nigerians are on drugs but assured that NAFDAC would soon commence tour of Junior and Senior Secondary schools in the country so as to sensitize them on the dangers of drug abuse.
While lamenting the cost in carrying out such project, she however commended the Federal Government for committing itself in ensuring that whatever is needed to fight the menace of drugs would be taken care of.
She further said “the president has already inaugurated Presidential Committee On Drug Substance Abuse, they came to my office about 10 days ago, we told them what we have been doing.
NAFDAC has already did the flag off on December 6, to remind ourselves that family structure has to be maintained. If the father and mother are not there, then children will wonder and then they start getting attracted by drug peddlers.
Unemployment has to be taken care of because without jobs, devil find jobs on idle hands.
“Education extremely important because, if children don’t go to school,you know that one day, they are going to turn into using one thing or the other due to lack of knowledge. So we are doing a lot.
The NAFDAC boss, while calling for collaboration among neighbouring countries to help in fighting the menace, said ” if we strengthen our sister regulatory agency, at least, we will reduce the inflow”.
” She also revealed that “We have to enhance our boarders, Ports, and those have been enhanced as we speak, so we are going to have significant reduction in illicit medicine.
“For example, NAFDAC intercepted 22 container of tramadol that is a lot of intelligent work and sleepless nights for NAFDAC staff, but we are working on it and I believe that we are going to conquer this menace” she assured.
