NDDC SENSITIZES RIVERS STUDENTS ON DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE
Given the great danger
posed by drug abuse and cultism, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC,
on Friday held a one-day sensitization campaign for secondary school students
in Rivers State, with the theme: “The Danger of Drug Abuse and Cultism.”
Speaking during the event
held at the Tana Event Centre, G.R.A Port Harcourt, the Acting Managing
Director of the commission, Engr.
Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua in his address said that the campaign became
necessary because the NDDC is concerned about the number of youths involved in
drugs.
Audu-Ohwavborua, who was ably represented by the Commission’s Director,
Human Resources, Dr. Alazigha Woyengibaragha, emphasized the importance
of educating students and the young ones on the dangers of drug abuse, and
called on parents to monitor strange behaviours exhibited by their wards and
seek help early.
“It is our duty as parents, teachers, and students to avert the menace
of drug abuse and cultism,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Rivers State Director of the NDDC, Mr. Orere
Imoko, in his welcome address, welcomed participants and guests to the
programme, while noting that the mandate of the commission goes beyond building
physical infrastructure; “it encompasses building human capacity among the
people of the Niger Delta region.
He further urged the students to become global ambassadors and advocates
of anti-cultism and drug abuse in their respective schools to help colleagues
shun such practices.
Also speaking at the event, the NDDC Director Youths and Sports, Mr.
Ephraim Offiong who was also a resource person at the event, said the Commission
decided to carry out the sensitization programme on secondary school students
because juvenile delinquency usually begins at a youthful age and if not
tackled, becomes an addiction.
He said: “This is the third phase of the programme, and it is believed
that we are going to move around the nine Niger Delta States.”
He further expressed displeasure over the rate of juvenile delinquency
among youths which comes from copying adults who are already deep in the
practices.
He went further to say that there is a correlation between drug abuse
and cultism; and advised students not to venture into illicit drug use, while
stating that the programme is part of the Commission’s effort in building
capacity and creating awareness about drug abuse and cultism among youths.
Expressing profound appreciation to the Commission, a student of
Government Girls Secondary School, Orominieke, Miss Juvenus Ezinne said: “I thank
NDDC for organizing this programme to teach young youths about cultism, drug
abuse, how to prevent it, consequences, and how it affects our health and also
how to keep away from it.”
Another student from Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School, Master
Abiyere Eyituoyo Kingsley, said he has learnt from the programme that drugs and
cultism do not better youths in any way, and he promised to fulfill the role of
an ambassador of the NDDC campaign against drug abuse and cultism by telling
his classmates and friends about the hidden consequences of drug abuse and
cultism.
Comments
Post a Comment