The League of Societal Protection Against Drug Abuse (LESPADA), on Tuesday, participated in a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives, where it formally submitted a memorandum advocating strengthened drug demand reduction and rehabilitation support across the country.
Presenting the memorandum on behalf of the organisation, the Director of Women Affairs, Ms. Tonia A. Yakubu, drew attention to the growing prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria, describing it as a major social and public health concern, particularly among women and young people.
Yakubu noted that the rising trend of substance abuse among vulnerable groups poses serious threats to family stability, community safety and national development. She called for sustainable government intervention, stressing the importance of deliberate budgetary allocations to drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes.
According to her, effective drug control efforts must go beyond enforcement to include community-based engagement, early prevention initiatives and consistent grassroots sensitisation aimed at addressing the root causes of substance abuse.
She further urged the Federal Government to strengthen support for non-governmental organisations actively involved in drug prevention, counselling and rehabilitation, noting that NGOs remain critical partners in reaching communities often beyond the direct reach of government institutions.
Yakubu also called for enhanced collaboration between government agencies and civil society organisations to ensure coordinated and impactful responses to the drug abuse challenge.
The submission by LESPADA was reportedly well received by members of the House Committee, who acknowledged the organisation’s contributions and commitment to drug demand reduction.
LESPADA expressed optimism that the engagement would translate into concrete policy actions and pledged its readiness to continue working with the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders to promote effective drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation nationwide.