Make education affordable for youths, Community PG urges govt

To dissuade Nigerian youths from indulging in hard drugs, a call has been made to government at all levels in the country to make education affordable for the youths in the country.

This came from the President General of Ahuwa Oboro autonomous community, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Chief James Uchegbuo, during the World Drug Abuse Day/ Illicit trafficking observance recently.

He admonished parents and churches to intensify their efforts in the moral up-bringing of young ones in their communities/localities, suggesting that even those who could not afford university education should acquire gainful skills.

Answering questions from newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital, on the occasion which was aimed at raising awareness on the major problems illicit drugs cause in the society, Engr. Uchegbuo pointed out that drug abuse has become a cankerworm ravaging the general output of youths in the country, especially in rural areas where he maintained that some farm lands had been converted to Indian hemp farms.

The PG regretted that this has contributed to the problem in societal malaise in the country today like illegal possession of arms, kidnappings, rape, murder and disrespect to the elderly ones by the youths, pointing out that even his community, Ahuwa, suffers from the nefarious activities of some young ones who consume illicit drugs.

He said: “This morning before I left house, I just listened to a case of a youth who took up arms and killed a fellow youth because he was under the influence of drugs. He is now in prison in Umuahia and his family is pleading for settlement. You see, that is what drugs can cause.

In order to further enlighten and educate youths in my community on the dangers associated with chronic ingestion of hard drugs, my community from time to time organises vocational lessons for the youths, through resource persons on the dangers of drugs abuse.

The theme for 2017 edition of World Drug Abuse Day/Illicit trafficking observance is “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe” is an initiative to increase support for prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an effective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities.