Business
ADAMU Abdullahi, Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has reiterated his commitment to support the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the country.
Abdullahi gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by Dr Hope Omeiza, the Executive Director of the Vanguard Against Drug Abuse (VGADA) Rehabilitation Centre, on Thursday in Abuja.
He expressed the support of the commission to enhance the impact of the significant efforts of the rehabilitation centre.
He said that advocacy against drug abuse was very important to the commission while the FCCPC was a consumer protection body, hence, the need to campaign against illicit drug use.
The director also said that the efforts of the VGADA rehabilitation centre needed to receive a boost to support its onerous task of drug prevention, treatment and care in Nigeria.
The FCCPC boss said that substance abuse was beyond just illicit drugs, saying that apart from alcohol, it was also due to tobacco, which was a bigger problem.
According to him, consumer protection is what we do, day in, day out and that goes beyond just the normal day to day abuses that consumers face, regards service providers and manufacturing companies.
“Beyond that, we also have to fight for consumers on issues of drug abuse or substance abuse come into effect.
“On behalf of the commission, we want to reconfirm our support to the work of this rehabilitation centre. It is extremely important, this is coming at a time where the challenges are more complex,” he said.
Abdullahi lamented on the intake of sachet alcohol, which the commission had fought along with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to curtail.
“This is because it makes alcohol available to the younger generation, as it is more affordable and accessible, so we fought against it in the long run.
“I wouldn’t say it’s over yet, because we would have to continue from where we stopped and that is why we are supporting this campaign against drug abuse,” he said.
The FCCPC boss advocated the need for collaboration with the private sector to make the fight against drug abuse far-reaching.
He also called on relevant stakeholders to make concerted efforts towards ending drug abuse among youths in the country to ensure their employability, and entrepreneurship as future leaders.
Earlier, Dr Hope Omeiza, stressed that the VGADA rehabilitation centre had put in place a strong mechanism to raise public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
According to him, the mechanism was through the forthcoming National Youth Conference with the theme “the youths, drug, mental health and Nigeria’s future on June 28, 2024.
Omeiza said that the conference was to commemorate the International Day against Drug abuse and Illicit trafficking celebrated globally every June 26.
He added that the VGADA rehab center was providing treatment and counselling to drug users in two different centers in Jabi and Galadimawa, Abuja, respectively, through which over 500 persons were counselled and treated so far.
“This is why your support to our good work today affords us the opportunity to share with you some of the things you can use your good office and the huge platform to facilitate to enhance what we are doing and plan to achieve,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Youth Conference event aim to address the pressing issues of drug abuse, mental health challenges, and their impact on the future of Nigerian youth.
NAN also reports that the conference would train and inaugurate five youths anti-drug abuse advocates per state through a co-ordinated process of selection. (NAN)
Caption: The Acting Executive Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Dr Adamu Abdullahi with the Executive Director, Vanguard Against Drug Abuse (VGADA) rehabilitation centre, Dr Hope Omeiza.
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Tags: Dr Adamu Abdullahi Dr Hope Omeiza.
