By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Worried by the menace of illicit drug use and its attendant consequences in the society, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has inaugurated a thirteen-member Drug Control Committee to curb the menace in the state.
The committee with his wife, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel as Chairman, Mrs. Esther Ukpe of the Ministry of Economic Development as Secretary, has three advisory members from specialized Institutions and eight other members drawn from relevant agencies of government.
According to Emmanuel, the inauguration of the committee, is in line with a federal government policy for an agency complementary to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to be replicated in every state of the federation.
At the Inauguration ceremony in Uyo, the Governor lauded Family Empowerment And Youth Re-Orientation Path Initiative (FEYReP), a pet project of his wife for the provision of succour to the less privileged members of the society, battling cancer and gender based violence.
He also acknowledged the effort of the state Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA, who is also a member of the committee, in combating drugs-related crimes in the state.
The governor urged them to bring to bear such vigour to deliver on the mandate of the committee and pledged optimum support of the state government to enable it realize its set objectives.
“So let’s take this as a major burden, in our heart, if we stamp out drugs in our communities today there won’t be armed robbery, there won’t be kidnapping, anybody who goes on kidnapping or rubbery is under the influence of drugs.
“All hands must be on deck, let us not spare anybody because the day your child falls into that thing you are finished and all your suffering on that child is gone. No child on drugs can be useful to a parent.
“For NDLEA, a job well done means more job to be done. Let us know where those who sell these drugs are, those who promote it, those who sell it and those who use it. We can fortify your team. We have a crack team that cuts across all armed forces we can go after them.” He stated.
The committee, according to the governor, is to liaise with NDLEA and relevant agencies towards scaling awareness for prevention of drug abuse in the state, support the framework for all drugs reduction activities, advise government in the intra state intervention options, generate data and report best drug prevention programmes, and other activities that may be deemed fit and necessary to minimize the influence, impact and effect of drugs abuse in the society.
Fielding questions from journalists shortly after the inauguration, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel thanked the governor for setting the committee in motion, assuring that the state would be better for it as the committee is poised to intensify campaigns to ensure drastic reduction in drug abuse in the state.
Mrs. Emmanuel emphasized that the committee would make effort to sensitize drug traffickers and abusers with the intent to salvage or rehabilitate, where necessary to otherwise ensure adequate legal actions against unrepentant drug abusers.
