Rita Okoye
A nongovernmental organisation, Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), has called for the re-orientation of people towards drug abuse in Nigeria.
Founder of the NGO, Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God (Ikeja Family), speaking during a ceremony in commemoration of International Day of Drug Abuse, said his organisation is creating awareness on the negative effects of drug abuse, its addiction and how it can be curbed.
In a three-day programme organised by CADAM with the theme: “Health for Justice, Justice for Health,” the organisation’s Director General, Mr. Dokun Adedeji, noted that in Nigeria alone, at least 14.3 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 used drugs during the period under review (2017).
He said: “One in seven persons in this age group is involved, this is against a global average of one in 20 persons. It is also worthy of note that one in four people who abuse drugs are women. We are therefore not surprised that most of the crimes perpetrated in the society are by teenagers and the youths who are under the influence of drugs.
“This is indeed a call for re-orientation and paradigm shift in our approach to drug phenomenon in Nigeria. We therefore recommend greater involvement and commitment on the part of government in order to forestall the scourge of illicit drugs in the country.” According to him, CADAM has established rehabilitation facility in Araga, Epe, Lagos State, for the treatment and rehabilitation of about 200 drug-dependent persons every year.
“They undergo 12 months programme broken down into two phases, one and two.”