•••Calls for Parents, Community leaders involvement.
The Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) Bayelsa State Command, Mr Kanu Sunny-Chukwemeka, has called for a paradigm shift from the usual approach of fighting drug abuse to academic point of view of data collection, analyzing and ensuring that interventions are base on data.
Mr Sunny-Chukwemeka, made the call at the closing of a two-day Anti-Drug Abuse/Addiction sensitization, organized by the Amassoma Graduates Forum, AGF for youths of Amassoma Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the State.
Represented by Dr Francis Chia, the State NDLEA Commander called for the collaboration of community leaders and parents in order to combat the menace of drug abuse among youths of the community.
While acknowledging a missing link in the fight against the menace in the rural areas, Mr Sunny-Chukwemeka, urged parents and community leaders to see NDLEA as messenger of deliverance and not enemy of progress.
The State NDLEA top brass, who advised youths to learn from the consequences of drug traffickers, also gave the organizers of the seminar a path on the back for coming up with event which he described as first of its kind in the State.
In welcome address, President of AGF, Mr Elvis Adimie-Ogede, said the two day programme was aimed at promoting mental health awareness and educating the youths about the dangers and attendant implication of using and consuming illegal drugs.
Speaking on dangers of drug misuse, resource persons, Mrs Faith Zips and representative of the State Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacist Charles Eduke, who described youths as future leaders, urged them to abstain from drug trafficking that could put their future in jeopardy.
In their separate remarks, Paramount ruler of Amassoma Community, Chief Godwill Akedesuo, Mr Peter Waidei-Yeri and Bolou Sobai-Woriepere, spoke on the role of the agency in curtailing drug abuse, including Demand and Supply Reduction.
The trio suggested for the establishment of NDLEA station in Amassoma community as well as the use of modern technology to connect with the youths through the creation of an App, internet and social media to educate them on the adverse effects of drug abuse.
On their part, participants, Mr Lucky Otobo and Miss Amiekumor Junior, noted that the training has helped to educate them on the symptoms and dangers of drug abuse through relevant and tested techniques.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Kuroghia Dorgu, urged youths to shun anti-social vices capable of truncating their future, also charged NDLEA to also scale up its war against drug abuse to Amassoma community.
