Greenlight Advocacy Project, NCS calls for rehabilitation Centers for Drug, Substance Abusers

By Mercy Akuba

The Edo State Comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Service, Emehinola Philomena Esq has applauded the Director of Securing the GOLDMINE IN Youths Initiative, Mr. Edwin Asibor and his team for seeking to collaborate with the NCS to reduce the scourge of drug abuse among Youths in the State.

Barr. Emehinola Philomena who stated this in her office in Benin City while receiving Staff of Securing Goldmine In Youth Initiative who were on an Advocacy Visit to NCS, called for the need for International Donors and sponsors to start building rehabilitation Centers for drug users and abusers as a way of reducing the scourge in the society.

According to her, criminalizing drug users and abusers have only succeeded in increasing their numbers, going forward, NGOs should look at ways to serve as counselors to drug users in rehabilitation centers which will have riple effect on the reduction of drug abuse in the Society.

“We are going to provide the necessary support to your organization but please to achieve greater success, Drug Users needs rehabilitation Centers to ensure proper follow up of victims of drug users. As we speak, hard drug is everywhere in town and is destroying our young ones, infact we need to hasten up”

Speaking further, she said the Nigerian Correctional Service has carried out laudable programmes to reform and transform inmates who are in their Custody but yet, are seen as enemy by the inmates who believe the officers have the power to manipulate the system for their release.

“unfortunately, we do not have the power to hasten their release, so they see us as enemy. The society on the other hand do not see us as people who are contributing to the safe environment they are living in. imagine, what Life would look like when these criminals are on the street? She querried”.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of Securing Creative Goldmine Initiative in Youths Mr. Edwin Asibor pointed out that the rate of substance and drug abuse among Youths has assumed a frightening dimension that needs a holistic approach by all stakeholders in the State.

“Most disheartening is the rate at which the Society discriminate and stigmatize persons who use drugs while the security agents are mostly concerned with arrest and punishment of the users without recourse to educating and counseling them for referral treatment”.

Mr. Edwin noted that records have it that 14% population of Nigeria has been marked as one of the highest users of Tramadol and Codine cough syrub which implies that these populations are suffering from substance users disorder.

“The 2023 World Drug Report states that in 2021, 5.3 per cent of 15-16 year old Worldwide has used Cannibis in the past year. The adolescent brain is still developing and drug use can have long term negative effects “

“The risk of being infected with HIV is 35 times higher for those who inject drugs than for those who do not inject drugs”

He however stressed that Green Light Advocacy Project (GLAP) is one of the project sponsored by ISDAO Love Alliance with the aim to reduce the stigmatization and Criminalization of people who use drugs in the State as a systematic approach in curbing the increasing rate of substances and drugs abuse.

MR. Edwin added that to achieve positive result in providing Counseling Centers, all stakeholders are required to contribute their inputs and follow it up to the latter.

The visit had ACC Omonua Smart, ACC Ikpea Jonathan, ACC Paul Ogbue and SE Aminu Suleman among other participants.