The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its efforts to combat the rising menace of drug abuse in Nigeria by mobilising teachers and students as critical partners in the fight. The initiative was officially inaugurated on Wednesday at Government Girls’ Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, under the “NAFDAC Catch Them Young Project” and the re-launch of the NAFDAC Consumer Safety Club (NCSC).
Speaking at the event, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director for the South-South Zone, Oligbu Chukwuma, decried the alarming prevalence of drug abuse among Nigerians. She revealed that 14.4% of the population—approximately 14.3 million people—are affected by drug abuse.
“This is alarming!” she said. “I am delighted to be here for the inauguration of the NAFDAC Catch Them Young programme, focusing on drug abuse education and awareness to address this menace in Nigeria. This initiative is critical because it targets the segment of the population most affected—our youths and, by extension, our teenagers.”
Professor Adeyeye called on teachers to play a proactive role in identifying and addressing behavioural issues among students, urging them to collaborate with parents to curb the problem.
“Our teachers play a vital role in this fight as they spend significant time with students. I urge teachers to work closely with parents or guardians to identify and address behavioural issues in children and see this effort as part of their contribution to building a better society,” she emphasised.
She highlighted that drug addiction stems from both legal substances, such as prescribed medicines, and illicit drugs, stressing the need for open and honest conversations to guide young Nigerians towards informed decisions about drug use.
The NAFDAC Catch Them Young Programme is designed as a grassroots campaign to educate secondary school students on the dangers of drug abuse and to foster a quality-conscious culture among the youth.
“NAFDAC has taken the campaign against drug abuse to the grassroots by re-establishing the NCSC in secondary schools. We will work with teachers and students to catch them young and prevent lives of addiction and destruction,” Professor Adeyeye explained.
She further warned about the destructive effects of drug and alcohol abuse on families, the workforce, and the economy.
“It is time for young Nigerians to understand that the epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse is destroying families, crippling the workforce, and destabilising our economy, all of which pose significant threats to the future of good governance in Nigeria,” she cautioned.
NAFDAC’s Rivers State Coordinator, Onogwu Emmanuel, provided an update on the programme’s rollout, stating that it was launched in September 2024 and is being piloted in six schools across Rivers State.
“This project was flagged off by the NAFDAC DG, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, on 20 September 2024, at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, FCT, Abuja. Your school, Government Girls’ Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, is one of the six schools selected in Rivers State for the project’s commencement,” he noted.
He emphasised the importance of youth participation, describing them as “nation builders and future leaders” whose involvement is critical to the programme’s success.
The principal of the host school, Dr Gladys Iheumamme, expressed gratitude for the initiative while urging NAFDAC to ensure its sustainability.
“I plead with NAFDAC not to simply inaugurate the club and leave us. Sustainability is crucial for the success of this programme. Many initiatives fail due to a lack of resources and follow-up support. We promise that the school authority and teachers will work diligently to support the children, who will serve as our ambassadors in this community,” she said.
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