Kogi govt reconstitutes 26-member committee to tackle drug abuse

The Kogi State Government has reconstituted a 26-member State Drug Control Committee (SDCC) as part of efforts to curb the growing menace of drug abuse in line with the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP).

The committee was inaugurated on Saturday in Lokoja by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade, who described the initiative as timely given the rising prevalence of illicit substances across the state.

“We are all aware of the damaging effects of hard drugs in our society. This committee has been set up to drastically reduce the sale, distribution, and use of illicit drugs in Kogi. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration is determined to ensure the state does not become a safe haven for drug dealers or abusers,” Ayoade said.

She charged members of the committee to work collaboratively and hold regular engagements to achieve their mandate, stressing that success would translate into a safer and more orderly society.

READ ALSO: Lagos APC rebukes Peter Obi over criticism of Tinubu’s vacation

The SDCC draws representation from key institutions, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), ministries of Health, Education, Youth and Sports, Women Affairs, Information and Communications, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as humanitarian groups, traditional rulers, local government chairmen, pharmaceutical bodies, civil society organisations, and faith-based groups.

Responding on behalf of members, the NDLEA State Commander, Umar Mustapha Yahuza, who will co-chair the committee alongside the Governor’s Wife, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, pledged total commitment to the committee’s objectives under the NDCMP framework. He commended Governor Ododo for reconstituting the body.

The NDCMP, first introduced in 2015 in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and supported by the European Union, serves as Nigeria’s overarching strategy for drug control. The latest 2021–2025 plan emphasises prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, reintegration, and law enforcement, while urging states to establish local structures to domesticate the policy.

The post Kogi govt reconstitutes 26-member committee to tackle drug abuse appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.