A Non Governmental Organisation, House of Recovery, on Wednesday said it had trained 200 volunteers in various communities in Kaduna State to help reduce the menace of drug abuse.
The founder of the organisation, Hadiza Aliko, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that their target was to boost counselling services which were vital to the war on drug abuse.
“People are yet to understand the value of counseling for recovery from drugs.
“There is a challenge of culture by residents; people don’t talk on these issues but prefer to be quiet so as not to be laughed at. But I assure you that if we don’t address this issue it will finish us all.
” When we counsel them, we help them with tools that trigger them off drugs; counseling helps one to explore and eliminate drug addiction at some points.”
She therefore called on residents to break the silence by speaking out on drug addiction so as to help the victims, families and society.
Aliko said the organisation is working hard to create warm and trusting space where addicts and their loved ones get the necessary support while the general public acquire information and necessary advice about addiction.
According to her, the approach will alleviate the destructive impact of drug addiction on society.
She disclosed that the organisation has been engaged by wives of Northern Governors and Kaduna State Government to develop comprehensive activities to tackle drug addiction in their states.