FCTA promises land for construction of model rehabilitation centre

By Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

As a measure to curb drug abuse and other social vices in the Federal Capital Territory, Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, has promised to provide land for the construction of a model rehabilitation centre in the FCT.

The minister made the promise when the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA), led by Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) paid him a visit on Monday.

He said the building of such a model facility would lay a solid foundation for the sustainable fight against drug abuse.

While calling on the need to strengthen relevant anti-drug abuse institutions, especially in the area of funding, providing well equipped facilities and the provision of enabling laws to stop drug abuse, he however pledged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) support for the activities PACEDA.

‘‘Institutions need to be properly funded to get the right manpower and equipment. Secondly, it is necessary to strengthen enforcement and by extension, prosecution. The third is rehabilitation, which is the most difficult because it has to be done on a long-time basis in quality facilities,’’ the minister said

He said it is possible to arrest the situation with the strong political will President Muhammadu Buhari has been exhibiting, adding that ‘‘I think the key is that there has to be a strong political will to fight this issue and under President Buhari that is obtainable.’’

Earlier, Marwa had commended the minister’s role in the success recorded by the committee as well as putting together of an active committee on drug abuse related issues in the FCT and urged other states to emulate the capital territory.

However, he stressed the need for the establishment of drug control committees from the community to the state level.