The Governor, Dr Alex Otti has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for its efforts in ridding the society of the menace of drug abuse.
Governor Otti made the commendation when the State Command of NDLEA paid him a familiarization visit at the Government House Umuahia.
The Governor frowned at the disturbing trend where the productive group of the society finds fulfilment in drug abuse.
The Governor represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba disclosed that the present administration is committed to ridding the state of all forms of hard drug and reengineering the productive energies of Abia youths towards identifying things that are noble.
The State Chief Executive cautioned the youths against drug intake, peddling and abuse and emphasized the need for parents, community leaders, non-governmental organisations, religious bodies and other relevant stakeholders to join forces with the state government and the NDLEA in the campaign against drug abuse in the State and the country.
Speaking, the Director General, Abia State Orientation Agency, Pastor Dike Nwankwo disclosed that the State government through his Agency is upscaling her involvement in the fight against substance abuse and promotion of care for those already exposed to misuse.
In his address earlier, the Deputy Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Abia State Command, Mr Maclean Ibani said the Agency is focused on its core mandate of curtailing illicit production, importation, exportation, sale and trafficking of psychoactive substances.
Presenting the state command’s score card including arrests, seizures, convictions, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation, Mr Ibani also solicited assistance from the state government in the areas of donation of operational vehicles, an office space in Umuahia, vocational tools for training drug dependents among others to enable them discharge their duties effectively.
Some top government officials were present during the visit.
