Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has reiterated Federal Government’s readiness to partner with any institutions to checkmate the prevalent drug abuse among Nigerians, especially the youth.
In a statement by the office of the SGF on Wednesday in Abuja, Mustapha stated this when the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, Sub-Committee on Drug Abuse paid him a courtesy visit.
Mustapha commended the traditional leaders for paying attention to challenges in their environment by coming up with the idea of forming a sub-committee to curb the menace.
He called on them to engage in advocacy campaign as a mechanism to make youths and adult understand and know the dangers of indulging in illicit drugs.
According to him, the approach will serve as a proactive measure and warning to the people who may have the mind of indulging in the menace.
Mustapha stated that there must be a synergy between the government and the traditional institutions in order to achieve the desired result.
The Chairman, Northern Traditional Rulers Council sub-committee on Drug Abuse, the Gbong Gwom of Jos, Da Jacob Buba Gyang, briefed the SGF on what informed the setting up of the committee.
Gyang said that drug abuse in the North had become a social problem with many of those involved in the menace taking to criminal activities, adding that the development informed the visit by the traditional rulers to the SGF.
“Because of this, we deem it fit to partner with the Federal Government since this menace can only be fought in collaboration with the government,” he said.
He stressed that drug abuse had become so prevalent in the region that the future of youths and adults alike was at risk.
Other members of the committee include: Alhaji Muhammad Ahmad, the Emir of Anka, Dr Najib Adam, the Emir of Kazaure, Dr Muhammad Abdullahi, the Emir of Yawuri among others.
