ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Drug Abuse, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee has lamented the rising trend of drug abuse in the state.
The Chairman of the committee, Dr Faith Izibenua Zibs-Godwin, made this known when she led a delegation from the BSDAPRC to pay a visit to the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, at the Education House, Ovom, Yenagoa.
Zibs-Godwin lamented that the first ever national survey by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) on drug use among Southsouth states, indicated that drug use in Bayelsa was quite high compared to other states in the geopolitical zone.
She said the visit to th ministry became imperative in order to seek possible ways of partnership to change the ugly story.
She said some of the policies to be adopted by the committee to stave off the trend were anchored on school strategy, faith-based strategy and community strategy.
Giving insight into the strategies, Zibs-Godwin said the school strategy, which would cover primary to tertiary school level, would carry out programmes such as conducting substance abuse interventions, trainings and development of policies on alcohol and substance abuse.
She said there would be formation of drug-free clubs, life skill trainings, random drug testing among other activities.
Responding, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Gentle Emelah, decried the rising trend of drug abuse in the state.
He thanked Governor Douye Diri for setting up the committee to mitigate against drug abuse in the state.
Emelah also commended the committee for standing up to save the situation in the state and assured them of the support of the Ministry of Education whenever the need arose.
The commissioner was joined in the meeting by the Director, Science, Technology and Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Mr Abidekan Diepreye.