The Anglican Girls Grammar School (AGGS), Benin City in Edo State, and PTA/NADP International College, Lafia in Nasarawa State have expressed their preparedness to be crowned champions of the 2023 MTN Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) quiz.
Eborka Andrew, the lead teacher for AGGS told BusinessDay that the trio of Edobor Best, John Theresa, and Omonzejele Omosefe are prepared to beat other contenders to be crowned champions.
“Yes, AGGS Benin will come out on top by God’s grace. No school is a threat to us,” he said.
The students expressed overwhelming joy for being participants in this year’s MTN ASAP quiz.
They explained that the quiz offered them the opportunity to learn more about drug and substance abuse.
“It offered us the opportunity of knowing more about drugs, substance, and how their uses and abuse is critical to students. We were exposed to drug abuse awareness and the extent of damage it causes to people,” the students explained.
Anglican Girls’ Grammar School was established in 1961 as a mission school but is presently owned by the Edo State government.
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Similarly, Peace Monday, Abdul Isa Salihu and Augusta Okyuwa from PTA-NADP International College, Lafia in Nasarawa State said they were excited to have scaled through in the first elimination stage with flying colours, and are doing everything possible to ensure they are crowned champions come to the grand finale stage.
“We are studying hard, doing research on the subject matter and asking relevant questions to ensure we are ready for the challenges ahead,” they said.
The students said they gained a lot from participating in the quiz competition. And are now well prepared to enlighten, and educate their family members, schoolmates and the general public on the dangers of drug abuse, in line with the vision and mission of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Afiniki Iyakino, the lead teacher identified Girls’ Secondary School, Abakpa-Nike in Enugu State as possible threats to their ambition of becoming the 2023 MTN ASAP quiz competition.
Recall that six secondary schools emerged as finalists for the 2023 MTN Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) quiz to be held physically on Friday, June 23 at Abuja.
PTA/NADP International College, Lafia in Nasarawa State, Girls’ Secondary School, Abakpa -Nike, Enugu in Enugu State and Girls Secondary School, Yola in Adamawa State qualified in the first elimination stage held on Tuesday, May 6, 2023.
Katsina College, Katsina, Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo and Anglican Girls Grammar School, Benin-City emerged from the second elimination event held on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Funtaj International Schools, Abuja won the 2022 MTN-ASAP quiz competition. The trio of Ramat Sakman, Oluwatoyinsola Adeyemi and Ataba Shehu emerged champions in both the first and second rounds of the competition.
The ASAP programme was launched in 2019, and since then, the aim has been to reduce first-time drug and substance use rates among Nigerian youths aged between 10 and 25.
ASAP is being implemented by the MTN Foundation in collaboration with local and international partners such as the UNODC, NDLEA, and the federal and state ministries of health and education, with the objective of preventing substance abuse among young people in Nigeria.
The purpose of the MTN ASAP quiz programme is to raise awareness of drug abuse among young Nigerians and dissuade them from using enhancing substances, and to promote a drug-free lifestyle.
