To win the war against the use of narcotics and other dangerous drugs amongst the youths, women, especially all mothers have crucial roles to play, Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has said.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, has identified Cannabis as the most widely used illicit substance in the African Region; with highest prevalence and increase in use being reported in West and Central Africa rating between 5.2 per cent and 13.5 per cent.
It noted that Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) such as “ecstasy” and methamphetamine now rank as Africa’s second most widely abused drug type.
The NAFDAC DG, seized the commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day, to urge all mothers to be more vigilant by paying more than passing attention to their children’s wellbeing and the kind of friends they keep both in and out of school, stressing that many children from God-fearing homes join bad gangs through the bad company they keep in school.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Celebrated on 8 March of every year, the day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s roles in nation-building as well as gender parity.
Prof. Adeyeye, in a statement by NAFDAC Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola noted that the role of mothers in the home cannot be overemphasised. She said the Nigerian mother has always been closest to the children since the father is more often than not out there working tirelessly to provide for the needs of the family.
She however, urged the mothers to always pay more attention to their children and be more concerned about the kind of friends they keep away from home, adding that many of the Nigerian youths from good homes become addicted to narcotics and other dangerous drugs due to the care-free attitude of their parents, particularly, the mothers.
The NAFDAC boss however, noted that the Narcotics and other allied drugs directorate of the Agency has been strengthened and empowered to enforce extant laws against the use of narcotics and other dangerous drugs by the youths of this country.
She noted with dismay the preponderance of secret cults in the nation’s tertiary institutions, stressing that many of our undergraduates are introduced to dangerous drugs and bad behaviours as members of the cult groups.
She however, blamed the uncontrolled influx of narcotics and other dangerous drugs which negatively impacted on the society in terms of public health and safety, security, and terrorism on the absence of NAFDAC at the nation’s ports from 2011 by the order of the then minister of finance.
‘’The challenge of internal security within the country was traced to uncontrolled influx and use of psychotropic medicines such as tramadol and chemicals that could be diverted for terrorist activities’’, she said, adding that NAFDAC’s absence at the ports was highlighted as one of the factors and as such there was a dire need to return the agency back to the ports in 2018 as part of the efforts at strengthening regulation and control at the Ports shortly after she resumed office as DG NAFDAC.
She however, commended the Nigerian women for being resilient, industrious, and caring, noting that the Nigerian woman has contributed immensely to the development and growth of the nation’s economy.
