Nigeria Drug Control Master Plan underfunded ― UN

The United Nations has expressed concern over poor funding of Nigeria Drug Control Master Plan.

The National Programme Officer of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mrs Folusho Ajayi Adelekan, made the observation on Tuesday in Abuja at a one-day sensitization workshop on drug abuse and rape.

The event organised by Christabels Initiatives was facilitated by the Senate and House of Representatives joint committee on narcotic drugs.

Mrs Adelekan who noted that the nation has a 5-year master plan lacking in operational efficiency also lamented the lack of enough treatment or rehabilitation centres in the country for drug addicts.

“The National Drug Control Master Plan Nigeria came up with within the last two years, is not being funded adequately and the menace requires an action-packed operational strategy that must be well funded.

“Aside lack of a well funded operational plan, there are not enough treatment or rehabilitation centres in the country for drug addicts.

“Even in the realm of prevention, enough actions are not being put in place in terms of education, sensitization and discipline at the home front.”

In her presentation, Deputy Director, National Agency for the Control of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, (AIDS), Dr Yinka Falola – Anoemuah called on the government to muster enough commitment it deployed to address the HIV/AIDS scourge to deal decisively against the menace of drugs abuse and rape in Nigeria.

“Two million people are living with AIDS in Nigeria but being managed without much havoc in the country.

“Even at that, the operational master plan has been put on the ground to end AIDS in Nigeria by 2030, the way Polio was eliminated.

“Though Drug abuse is habitual and not a disease like HIV/AIDS, but can still be frontally tackled with the operational master plan used to fight HIV/AIDS in the country to the barest minimum.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila who was represented by the House Leader, Honourable Hassan Doguwa, said proactive measures must be taken both at the primary and secondary levels to address the menace.

He assured that the federal lawmakers were ready to take adequate legislative actions to deal with offenders.

“Most of the drug addicts in the country lacked the required discipline and decent upbringing at the home front.

“The very reason, curricular at the primary and secondary schools levels, need to be reviewed for the inclusion of subjects against drug abuse and violence against women, particularly, rape.

“On our part as lawmakers, required legislative actions will be taken to repeal some of the obsolete laws and enact new ones for provision of appropriate penalties for offenders of both offences.

“Though capital punishment or death penalty may be considered too harsh for a convicted rapist, any other severe punishment must be put in place to deal with rapists in the land.”

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