The Joint Committee on Drugs and Narcotics of the National Assembly has pledged to partner with the Lagos State Medicine Dealers’ Association (LSMDA) in the fight against fake drugs and other unwholesome products.
At a workshop organised by LSMDA in Lagos, the chairman of the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Francis Agbor, said the committee would not tolerate any form of illicit drug abuse.
Agbor, who was represented by Onasohe Saturday, said the committee was working in collaboration with LSMDA to fight drug abuse and trafficking to ensure the sale and distribution of narcotics, hard drugs and other unwholesome products curbed in Nigeria. He noted that the National Assembly was also working to ensure the elimination of illicit drug abuse and fake medicine dealers.
He said: “We are here to pledge our support and collaboration with LSMDA to fight drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria. There are other regulatory bodies that oversee the affairs of medicine dealers, such as NAFDAC, NANDRUM and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, whose aim is to ensure that health matters concerning lives are on their exclusive list.
“We also urge the members of LSMDA to desist from indulging in any form of illicit or unauthorised drug sales. One of the actual threats to the nation and human security is the alarming rate of illicit drug trafficking. Drug abuse, trafficking and crime are interrelated and have negatively impacted so much of our nation through crime and insecurity. Nigeria, as a country, has suffered so many losses of lives, properties and dignity due to the involvement of well-meaning Nigerians in abusing and trafficking drugs.
“It is a general concern that insecurity has taken over all our communities; it has been discovered that there is a linkage between insecurity and the consumption of drugs and narcotics. Drugs are responsible for the increased rate of insecurity and crime in Nigeria, as we have witnessed of late.
“The committee is worried at the alarming rate of illicit drug abuse and trafficking, which is why we shall be working assiduously to stem the tide, otherwise, we shall be swallowed, if left unattended to.
We are facing an epidemic of illicit drug abuse. As a result of lack of employment, most youths are easily drawn to taking illicit substances, which do not stop at that alone, since they do not have the skills to engage themselves productively; they turn to crime. Skills give them a future; drugs and unemployment give and support the rise of the tide of insecurity. We must be united to fight the scourge in our communities through the provision of jobs and other skills to the youths to secure their future.”
President of LSMDA, Alphonsus Okoroji, thanked the House of Representatives and other drug enforcement agencies such as the NDLEA and NANDRUM for their steadfast commitment and support for the association in the fight against fake drugs. He urged members of the association to remain law-abiding, complying with the policies of the association and regulations of law enforcement agencies.
Speaking on the need for all drug enforcement agencies to heighten their fight against fake drugs and combat the menace, Mr Ralph Igwenagu, national adviser, National Association of Nigerian Drug Monitoring (NANDRUM), stressed that a lot of people were unaware of the health risks caused by malaria.
“We are here to sensitize the people about the dangers of malaria and call on everyone to join the fight against malaria and fake medicine dealers in Nigeria.
The aim and purpose of NANDRUM is to educate the public on the implications of drug abuse and trafficking. We partner with other enforcement agencies like NDLEA and NAFDAC to inform the Lagos State Medicine Dealers’
Association on the dangers of drug abuse. We also advise the youths to desist from any form of illicit drug use.”
