Lukman Abdulmalik
The League for Societal Protection Against Drug Abuse (LESPADA) in collaboration with Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project and the Kano State Ministry of Education engaged stakeholders on the menace and mitigation of substance abuse among adolescent girls and boys.
The 2-day stakeholders engagement meeting at the Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso, on Wednesday and Thursday was aimed at fostering open dialogue, sharing best practices, and identifying actionable steps to mitigate the impact of substance abuse among youth.
In her remarks, Amb. Maryam Hassan, the Executive Director of LESPADA, said the rates of drug and substance misuse among young people continue to rise.
“It is crucial to bring together key stakeholders including educators, policymakers, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and organizations to collaboratively explore effective prevention strategies and interventions to mitigate the menace.
“The event is initiated to shed light on the alarming trends in substance abuse among adolescent girls and boys and to create a unified front in the fight against this menace,” she added.
The LESPADA Boss noted that adolescence is a critical stage in the development of young people, and exposure to drugs and substances during this period can have devastating long-term effects on their health, well-being, and prospects.
The Chairman of the Kano State School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) in Madobi, Dahiru Garba highlighted that “this stakeholders meeting is crucial because today students are part of young people who get into drug addiction.
“As teachers, we have a major role to play in educating the students on the negative effects of drug abuse.
“We also called on their parents to supervise their children regarding their attitudes, behaviors and also who they mingle with in their communities.”
The Kano State Commandant of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idris Abubakar Ahmed, represented by Musa Bulus Agwom, noted that the stakeholders’ engagement targeted boys and girls because they are the vulnerable group.
“If we can catch them at the early stage, to prevent them from partaking or engaging in substance abuse, it will go a long way in minimizing the quantum or the magnitude of the number of youths, even in their later stage of life, and they can transmit them to their younger ones, colleagues.
“So, we believe it’s a good idea and it’s a good thing at the right time.”
The engagement entitled Paper Presentations from State and Non-state Actors highlighting the effects of drug abuse.
