From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu has called on the Federal Government to unbundle the exclusive list to allow states in the country to develop.
This is even as the Governor called for partnership between the NDLEA and the state government on the cultivation of cannabis sativa otherwise known as Indian hemp.
Governor Akeredolu made the call in his office on Wednesday while playing host to the officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) led by the Assistant Commander of Narcotics and Zonal Commander NDLEA Zone J, Mr Parah Julius Bawa.
Governor Akeredolu said: ”If our fiscal policy is not changed and what comes to states does not change, it will be difficult for states to help develop federal establishments in their domains
“The time has come to change our fiscal policy. The time has come to unbundle exclusive list. Whatever area we can assist federal institutions, we will always support.”
The Governor urged the NDLEA to partner the state on the pathway towards cultivation of cannabis sativa for medicinal purposes.
He said the strain of Cannabis Sativa at Ogbese in Ondo State is the best in the world, charging NDLEA to look towards sensitizing the public and academic world to make it work.
Governor Akeredolu noted that the war against drug abuse is everyone’s fight, adding that no government would support drug abuse particularly the rate at which it is going in Nigeria.
“No government will sit down and support drug abuse, particularly the scale at which it is going now in Nigeria. In Nigeria today, there are many substances. They are deadly as cocaine. People today abuse codeine and so many things that are deadly.
“I agree with you that drug abuse fuels banditry, kidnapping and every form of criminality that we are faced with. Those who are involved in this have to get high to come and take a risk with their lives. When you see what they do, you will agree that they are high. So, we know and I do agree with you entirely. We are ready to cooperate with you,” the Governor added.
While noting that his push for controlled cannabis cultivation for medicinal purposes is not encouraging drug abuse, the Governor noted that the economic benefits have a now being reaped across the globe.
“My own contention is this, no body would ask that we start trafficking Indian helm, no body would say we should leave people free to smoke weed but that we will need to look at the useful purpose to which we can take the seed where we have the CBD Oil that is extracted from it for medicinal purposes, they have been using it for long even in the hospitals”
Earlier, The Zonal Commander of NDLEA Zone J, Mr. Mr. Parah Julius Bawa said his visit to the Governor is occasioned because he has been posted to Ondo State as the Zonal Commander of NDLEA Zone J.
He said Zone J of the NDLEA comprises of Ondo and Ekiti State, emphasizing that the creation of the zone was mandated by the Chairman of the Agency, Brigadier General Muhammad Marwa who put in restructuring by expanding the frontiers of the existing structure to fourteen zonal command.