From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has established a link between drug addiction and increase in crime and criminality.
Governor Diri drew the nexus stated over the weekend at the Peace Park in Yenagoa during a sensitisation walk/campaign against drug abuse to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Diri in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said in a bid to address the menace associated with drug abuse, his government constituted a Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee with well qualified personnel in the field.
He noted that crime and criminality were intertwined with drug abuse, and that for this reason the committee was set up to prevent lives of the young ones from wasting away.
While pointing out that the current administration was determined to rescue those caught in the drug addiction web by building a rehabilitation centre in the state, the governor advised youths on the dangers of drug addiction to join the campaign against the illicit act.
“I have always said that crime and criminality have an inverse relationship. If you look at the statistics of criminal and gang activities across our country, you will discover that most of those involved in crime and criminality are drug addicts. We cannot afford to waste the lives of the underprivileged. Our youths are golden to us.
“As a government, we have come to that realisation and that was why we set up this committee made up of professional and committed members that have continued to sensitise the populace and our youths to move away from drug, crime and criminality and embrace the good life.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that even those that are addicted will soon have a place of rehabilitation. Your state government is building a rehabilitation centre in Ogbia Local Government Area.”
Governor Diri seized the opportunity to caution politicians against influencing the youths negatively on illicit drug use, urging them to desist from the inhumane act or be ready to face the circumstances that come with it.
He thanked the Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for always being proactive in the fight against drug abuse and addiction.
In her opening remarks, chairperson of the committee, Dr. Faith Zibs-Godwin, noted that the UN General Assembly in 1987 decided to observe every June 26 as international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking as an expression of its determination to achieve its goal of a society free from drug abuse.