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A Non-Governmental Organisation, Mercy Corps and some youth leaders in Plateau have urged relevant authorities in the country to prioritize rehabilitation and reintegration of young addicts to promote peace in communities.
The NGO and the youth leaders made the call on Wednesday in Jos at a meeting organised by Mercy Corps, funded by USAID in its project, Community Initiatives to Promote Peace.
Mrs Fatima Suleiman, Mercy Corps, Resource person, said that the core problem of violence and unrest in some communities was substance abuse.
Suleiman said that to achieve peace in communities, young addicts should be rehabilitated and exposed to viable ventures profitable to them and society.
The resource person said that the aim of the project was to ensure that youth and women were performing their respective roles for the growth and development of their communities.
She said that the aim of the meeting was to evaluate and ensure that the project was sustained.
“We have all acquired knowledge about peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
“We are also able to relate the same to younger members of the community in helping to foster a culture of non-violence and tolerance,” she said.
Mr Kpando Ngwe, a youth leader from Bassa Local Government, said that many youths were hooked on drugs and needed help.
Ngwe stated that some of the youths were willing to stop taking drugs but were helpless and needed assistance.
The youth leader acknowledged that most times, youths under the influence of hard drugs were the perpetrators of violence in communities.
Mr Kefas Mallai of Youth Peace Network Bokkos, said drug addiction was the major cause of violence in the community and urged relevant authorities to help rehabilitate youths.
Mallai said that by providing alternative activities, peacebuilding activities, community service, and leadership training, it would help the youth refocus.
According to him, doing so would give young people positive and productive outlets that reduce the likelihood of substance abuse.
“Mercy Corps had provided the structure and platform already; we just want authorities to sustain the project,” Mallai said.
Mr Plangnalan Daor, a youth leader from Ryom, said in his remarks that the NGO had taught them tolerance and peaceful coexistence, but the youths needed to be in the right frame of mind to internalize and interpret peace.
Another youth leader from Barkin Ladi, Mr Umar Musa, said that the community enjoyed relative peace as a result of the Mercy Corps project, but it needed to be sustained.
“Relevant authorities must introduce measures and positive interventions to sustain this peace in the community, and we are all begging for clinical rehabilitation.
“The youths are beginning to mingle and relate better but would do better with rehabilitation,” he added. (NAN)
F.A
April 25, 2024
Tags: Young addicts
