Lack of monitoring by regulatory agencies major cause of drug abuse in society, Says Onoja

Students of tertiary institutions all over the country have been cautioned against the use of illicit drugs and other substances capable of destroying their future.

Williams Illah, executive director, Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation, gave the warning during the Education Outreach Programme organised by the foundation for matriculating students of Kogi State College of Education Ankpa recently.

Illah in his paper presentation titled ‘Illicit use of substances and drug abuse’, disclosed that Gabriel Onoja, the president and founder of the foundation, has expressed worries over the decay in the society as a result of ritual killings, cultism, drugs abuse and other unethical conducts that are prevalent in the society as well as across educational institutions, noting that Onoja’s concern necessitated his social intervention programmes in schools to educate Nigerian youths on the dangers of social vices in the society.

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Speaking further, the executive director of the foundation identified peer pressure, parental or family irresponsibility, influence from parents that are into drugs, failure of the mass media to create educating contents, too much availability and exposure of drugs to youths and lack of monitoring on the part of regulatory agencies as the major causes of drug abuse in the society.

He noted that the effect of illicit substances most often led to students having psychologically and emotionally problems, which affect their studies and called on parents, government and regulatory agencies to be proactive in eradicating the incessant use of illicit drugs in tertiary institutions.

He said, “Illicit use of drugs also leads to stress, fatigue and anxiety. It is largely responsible for bullying, students beating up lecturers once they are high, suicide and murder sets in when they are depressed, rape and killing of fellow human beings, emotional disability among others.”

In his speech, Muhammed Kabir Ibrahim, provost of the college, described the sensitisation embarked by the foundation on the effect of illicit drugs as a welcome development, assuring that the institution would sustain the partnership already created by the organisation.

He said, “Apparently the government alone cannot provide all the needs of any tertiary institution and we have been looking for a robust and sincere partnership and Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation has proved to us that they are capable to partner with us to move the citadel of learning higher.”