Anambra Library, NDLEA mark 2021 IDADAIT

…Caution students against drug abuse

 STUDENTS have been cautioned and counseled to refrain from drugs abuse and trafficking to avert its numerous effects and consequences.

The Director of Anambra State Library Board,  Nkechi Udeze made the call in her address of welcome at the 2021 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT), organised by the library, in collaboration with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency {NDLEA}, which held in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area and Mkpologwu, in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State, respectively.

 According to her, the library organised the event as one of its social reorientation activities aimed at helping the people become great and responsible change makers, as well as effecting positive societal changes and making the society a better place to live, through awareness creation and social reorientation.

 Addressing the students, she said, “we are here because we want you people to be better people in future and attain greatness in the society. We are also here because we want you people to succeed and not to end up in prisons or end badly in life. We have seen various damages and effects of hard drugs and drug abuse in the society, hence the library’s decision to join in the fight against drug abuse among other social reorientation activities we engage in.”

 “I therefore urge you students, the parents, teachers and everyone concerned to desist from drug abuse and play your own part in fighting the menace, as it has a chain of effects and is capable of terminating one’s life and making the society inhabitable,” she advised.

 Earlier in a lecture, the Principal Staff Officer, Drug Demand Reduction Unit, NDLEA, Anambra State Command, Dr. Chinwe Thompson defined drug as any substance, which, when used or taken into the body, affects the body and the mind by changing the body’s function or behaviour. She also defined drug abuse as an act of taking totally banned drugs, not medically necessary drugs, and excessive drug. She highlighted the various types of drugs, their forms of abuse and misuse, and their consequent physical, sociological and psychological effects.

 On his own part, the DPO, Njikoka Divisional Police Headquarters, Abagana, CSP Matthew Okafor, represented by SP Ignatius Okafor enlightened the participants on the roles of the police and other security agencies in the fight against drug abuse, and its legal consequence, which include arrest, detainment, prosecution and imprisonment among others.

 In their separate remarks, the President General of Abagana, Chief Linus Okafor Okunwa, a representative of Uru-Okpala Village, Abagana , Chief Vincent Sunday Okeke commended the library for celebrating this year’s event in their community and advised the participants to put all they were taught into practice.

                On their own parts, the Palace Secretary of Mkpologwu, Mr. Eugene Ezeobi, the Chairman of Mkpologwu Health Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Nwosu and the Financial Secretary of Mkpologwu Progressive Union, Mr. Okpara Nnamdi described the event as commendable and educative, and appreciated the library for hosting it in their community.

 Some of the participants at the event, including Chukwudi Rejoice and Nwobi Oluchukwu from Girls Secondary, Abagana; Agbanwoizu Chidiebere from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Secondary School, Abagana; and Abaelu Chika from All Saints Secondary School, Abagana, confessed that they learnt a lot at the event, and promised to put everything they were taught into practice.

 The theme of this year’s celebration is “Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives”.