Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
Following a sharp increase in the intake of hard drugs among citizens, especially youths in Taraba State, a Non-Governmental Organisation, known as Grace Thomas Foundation, has through Women and Family Drug Education Programme, stepped up to fight the menace.
As part of the frantic move, the NGO has engaged critical stakeholders to beging the fight at the grassroots in the state.
Speaking during an education session organised by the Foundation in Jalingo, the CEO of the Foundation, Mrs Rejoice Henry-Wesley, said the foundation aimed at fostering positive mental health, raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, and empowering individuals through economic opportunities.
She said the foundation had being working in various ways towards reintegrating persons trapped by intake of hard drugs into society as self-reliant and productive members.
“Our ultimate goal is to create a supportive and stigma-free community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We aim at transforming the lives of women and youth facing mental health and drug abuse challenges
“The 2024 Women and Family Drug Education Program (WOFADEP), has been organised by The Grace Thomas Foundation in collaboration with the Christopher Oghogho Foundation. This initiative aims to tackle the problem of drug abuse from a family perspective, with emphasis on the crucial role that families can play in preventing drug use,” Henry-Wesley stated
In a paper presentation at the education session, the Commander National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Taraba State Command, Nanzing Daniel Sallah, who was represented by the Head of Drug Reduction Unit of the Command, Uwa Ahmed, stressed the signs shown by persons who are into intake of hard drugs and identified among other things, exposure to health challenges, loss of memory and paranoia as consequences associated with intake of hard drugs
The Commander who spoke extensively on the role of family in Drug Abuse prevention, charged parents to remain as role model to their children, provide supporting environment to children and to help them resist peer group pressure and supervise them from time to time to stop them from indulging in the intake of hard drugs.
In their separate goodwill messages, the representative of the commissioner for Child Development and Women Affairs, Hon Mrs Mary Sinjen, the chairman, of Civil Society Organisations Taraba State; Joseph Gimba, the Mental Health Desk Officer, Taraba State Ministry of Health; Dr Gershe and the Auditor General, Taraba State, Polycarp Iranus, all encouraged parents to take an active role in educating their families, especially children, about the risks associated with intake of hard drugs.
Meanwhile, the session featured free medical check-up for participants and presented awards to some distinguished personalities.
