The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide has implored the State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to step up measures towards ensuring vigorous sesitization of the people against drug abuse, with a view to reducing the menace especially among youth.

The Speaker, gave the advice during an advocacy visit by the State Commander of the NDLEA, Ibiba Odili to the State lawmakers at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. 

Elemide who noted that the high level of drug abuse, especially amongst youth was majorly responsible for high rate of crimes and criminalities, tasked the National Orientation Agency (NOA), State Ministry of Information and other arms of the media to improve on their efforts towards propagating information targeted at curbing drug abuse. 

Assuring the State Command of the required legislative support in the fight against drug abuse, the Speaker who cited instances of victims of drug abuse, ascribed the cause of its prevalence to poor family upbringing, lack of societal value and fall in nobility which had led to indecent celebration of illegality. 

In their respective contributions, the Deputy Speaker, Bolanle Ajayi, Majority and Minority Leaders, Yusuf Sheriff and Lukman Adeleye, as well as Honourables Wahab Haruna and Dare Mohammed sought for the deployment of more NDLEA personnel across the State, especially to the border communities.

They challenged the Agency to step up measures towards clamping down on drug peddlers and traffickers across the State, positing that there was an increasing rate of individuals facing mental health challenges.

 The lawmakers recounted the passage of a resolution requesting the need to integrate mental health services into general hospital facilities across the State. 

Earlier in her remarks, the State Commander of the NDLEA, Odili, decried the high rate of drug abuse, especially amongst youth, noting that there were existing gaps in laws and policies that could be reviewed with a call for the revival of school based clubs to meaningfully engage pupils. 

Soliciting legislative support to curbthemenace, the State Commander of the NDLEA sought the need to review drug abuse curriculum for schools, noting that drug abuse issues are dynamic and keeps evolving thus, required a holistic approach.