By Hajara Leman
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Gombe State has set up drug safety clubs in schools to create awareness on the ills of drug abuse.
The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye stated this yesterday in Gombe during the inauguration of the clubs at the Government Day Secondary School, Gandu.
The clubs were set up under its community sensitisation programme tagged: “Catch Them Young Consumer Safety Clubs”.
Represented by James Agada, the Coordinator of the agency in the state, Adeyeye said the exercise aligned with its mandate to collaborate with stakeholders in combating drug abuse.
She said the exercise was critical to combat the menace among youth and women, who were vulnerable to substance abuse, adding that six schools had been selected as part of a key public enlightenment strategy to encourage youth engagement.
“The programme is designed to combat drug abuse, eliminate fake and substandard products, and instil a culture of quality control,” she said
“The agency has taken the campaign against drug abuse to the grassroots by re-establishing the clubs in secondary schools in collaboration with teachers, we will work closely with students, to prevent lives of addiction and destruction,” she said.
She urged students to be agents of change by promoting positive values and influencing their peers to make right choices.
She said the agency was working to protect the society from counterfeit drugs by reorienting the youths through the activities of the safety clubs.
In a presentation, Mr Musa Haruna Ast Director in NAFDAC said the campaign would enhance community awareness and check drug/substance abuse in the state.
He said the objective was to redirect young people’s energy away from anti-social behaviour, while educating them about NAFDAC’s regulatory responsibilities.
Musa Usman, one of the students, lauded the initiative, and pledged to educate his peers on the dangers of illicit drug use.
