Health
THE Northern Governors’ Wives’ Forum (NGWF), has established a recreational centre in Birnin Kebbi to engage the youths in recreational activities.
This is in an effort to curb the menace of drug abuse especially among the youths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the centre tagged ‘KAWARA Sports and Recreational Centre’ is meant for sporting activities such as football, volleyball, handball and basketball, among others.
Inaugurating the project on Saturday, Gov. Atiku Bagudu lauded the foresight of the NGWF members for supporting their husbands towards building a better Nigeria.
He said that his wife, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, has been outstanding in the number of initiatives she had ”energetically driven in the state.
“Indeed, it was the previous administration that constructed it, but government is a continues process, you do your bit, someone adds value and we hope the next one can do better.
“so, we thank her for being magnanimous, we thank her for mobilising the government to spend so much money in ensuring that this centre is put to use.
“But most importantly, we thank her for her initiative to ensure that this centre is being started in a creative self sustaining way.
“We also thank her for leadership of the State Drug Control Committee.”
Bagudu said that the drug challenge was neither a local nor a national challenge, ”but an international challenge that requires cooperation and mutual support to effectively tackle the menace.”
In his speech, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, lauded Bagudu for putting in place a legislative framework, committees and task forces targeted at fighting the menace of drug abuse in the state.
“Today, we are here to consolidate on what the governor’s wife has been doing and add a pillar of support to what her husband has been doing as it relates to the fight against curruption in the state.
“Today’s programme is about the fight against darkness, darkness of abuse of drugs in the state to reduce its prevalence which has been adjudged to be about 11 to 15 per cent in the state,” he said.
Hajiya Hadiza El-Rufa’i, Chairperson of the forum described their meeting in Kebbi as very successful.
She appreciated the governor of Kebbi State for assenting to the Child Rights Acts as well as Gender Based Violence Act, saying that it had not been easy considering the local environment.
‘The signing of the Bill would now pave the way for the prosecution of those that engage in abuse of women and children,” she added.
While appealing to the public to avoid stigmatising victims of abuse, the governor’s wife advised them to stop covering abuses.
She urged,”instead, they should report culprits to relevant authorities and follow it up to its logical conclusion.”
On her part, the host and the convener of the meeting, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu said the NGWF was a forum where the governors’ wives join hands to support their spouses.
She added that they had embarked on numerous campaigns on programmes including those on menstrual hygiene, drug abuse as well as women and youth empowerment.
Shinkafi-Bagudu assured that the ‘KAWARA Sports and Recreational Centre’ was one of the flip up programmes that would no doubt reduce the menace of drug abuse in the society.
She lauded her husband for what she described as ”his immeasurable support in making the centre and other programmes a reality.”
She described Kebbi youths as ”very vibrant, intelligent and innovative population.
“By investing in education, agricultural diversification, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and innovation, this administration has made a mark that will remain for a long time in the history of the state,” she said.
The Kebbi first lady that the state had invested heavily in youth development and involvement. (NAN)
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Tags: Abubakar Malami Atiku Bagudu Northern Governors’ Wives’ Forum Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu
