…empowers youth with brand new sewing machine for profitable engagement
Living up to its task as change agents in the society, youths under aegis of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye local branch Saturday organized a campaign against the menace of drug abuse.
Discussion around the social vice took the center stage at the fourth breakfast session organised by the leadership of the youth body at Ogunmokun/Olateju junction, Mushin, Lagos State.
The event is coming days after the youth body paid a courtesy and advocacy visit to the Lagos State Commander of NDLEA, Abubakar Liman Wada where it renewed its commitment to complementing the agency’s fight against the menace.
In the words of Engr Ibrahim Adigun, the coordinator of the youth body, the program was aimed at educating the youths and teenagers on the dangers inherent in substance usage and how to tackle them.
“We are gathered here today for the purpose of addressing the menace of drug abuse and substance usage. It’s a problem that knows no boundaries, affecting individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and socio-economic statuses. However, it’s also a problem that we can tackle together through community engagement and collective action like we are doing today.
“Over the years, Community engagement has been identified as the cornerstone of any successful effort to combat drug abuse. When we come together as a community, we have the power to educate, support, and empower one another to make positive choices and overcome addiction,” Adigun remarked.
He added that although the menace is no longer prevalent in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye community owing to the effective and sustainable measure put in place by the council chairman, Hon. Rasaq Ajala adding that complementary efforts are needed to further reduce it to the barest minimum hence the need for the breakout session.
Personnel of the Nigeria Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, which included the Chief Superintendent of Narcotics; Amechi Stella and Nwosu Uloma as well as an Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Awoniyi Folake took turns to deliver lectures explaining that the menace has a far-reaching and devastating effects on individuals, families and communies.
They identified abstenance, prevention, harm reduction, support services, treatment and rehabilitation and engagement in productive activities as ways to effectively tackle inclination to substance usage and abuse.
Another highlight of the program was the presentation of brand new sewing machine to a member of the youth body, Emmanuel Elijah, as an empowerment to start his fashion designing venture.
The sewing machine was courtesy of the lawmaker representing Mushin constituency 1 at the Federal House of Representatives.
The chairman planning committee of the program, Comrade Mustapha Yakqub of the community, appreciated the attendees, resource persons and others at the event for their attendance urging them to spread the message to their groups and various circle.
